MP ‘delighted’ by Cooper grant

Chippenham constituency MP Duncan Hames has welcomed the news of Cooper Tire & Rubber’s receipt of £1 million in funding from the Department of Business, Skills and Innovation’s Regional Growth Fund. The funding will be backed by private investment amounting to £4.3 million and will allow Cooper Tire to build a combined heat and power plant at the factory and install solar panels on the roof – measures aimed at improving energy efficiency and making the site more environmentally friendly.

“I am delighted that the Coalition Government is supporting one of our largest local employers,” commented Hames. “Back in March, I gave this bid my wholehearted support and promoted it to Government Ministers in Parliament. Helping energy intensive industries like this generate clean renewable energy is good for the environment and good for local employment. I believe the investment the company is making should put its Melksham operation on a firmer footing for the future.”  

The conditional offer of funding made to Cooper Tire & Rubber is part of a £19 million in funding for the southwest region and £506 million nationwide package announced on 11 July. A total of 102 companies and projects will benefit from this ‘round four pot’ of funds. Although Cooper Tire is the only tyre industry recipient, the wider automotive sector is represented on the successful bidders list by Jaguar Land Rover, King Automotive Systems (part of the Amtek Group), TRW Automotive and Toyota Motor Manufacturing.