£40 million investment for Bentley

Bentley has announced the latest phase in the biggest site development in the company’s history. A further £40 million investment will expand its headquarters in Crewe, with a new research and development centre, creating over 300 jobs in the process. This move was welcomed by George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer, who visited Bentley early in December.

The new centre, measuring over 45,000m², will include a dedicated styling studio, research and development offices and a technical workshop. The facilities will house 1,300 Bentley engineers and is the latest step in preparing Bentley’s infrastructure to bring the world’s first ultra-luxury SUV to roads in 2016. Work on the new developments will commence early next year.

In addition, 300 roles have been created, working within engineering, manufacturing, quality, sales and marketing and project management.

Wolfgang Dürheimer, Chairman and CEO of Bentley Motors, commented: “With Bentley’s new research and development centre, we will develop a new generation of Bentleys, which will continue our commitment of luxury, performance, quality and engineering excellence. Bentley is the number one luxury car manufacturer in the world and driving more investment into our headquarters and attracting talent is key to continuing our success.”

Including these latest roles, Bentley has now announced the creation of over 950 jobs in the past 18 months, during which time the business has produced record sales. Last year, Bentley delivered more cars than ever before, 10,120, and expects to break that figure in 2014. The company also committed to an £800 million investment over three years in product and facility development, with this announcement driving the investment to £840 million.

Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne said: “Bentley is an iconic British Brand that exports around the world. Their decision to create another 300 jobs in R&D on a new site providing close to 1,000 new jobs is fantastic news for Crewe and for Britain. “These highly skilled jobs in this export industry are exactly the kind of opportunities we want to see created which is why in yesterday’s Autumn Statement I provided further incentives for R&D in the UK. The investment will not only create jobs at Bentley, but support many more through suppliers across the UK. I want Britain to be a country where companies want to invest and create jobs, as Bentley is doing today.”

This expansion, the latest in a string of investments, further underlines Bentley’s commitment to Crewe and the UK. These include a new apprenticeship training facility, where the largest apprentice intake in a decade will learn, a new flagship showroom, an expanded engine production facility and paint shop. Bentley is also playing a pivotal role in bringing the first University Technical College to Crewe.