The factory is embarking today on the transition to a new core workforce model, including a 45-day consultation process with employees at the factory.
Additionally, Hitachi will make its single largest investment since the factory was built – around £8.5 million – introducing brand new manufacturing capabilities which will benefit its customers.
By making its UK factory more flexible, agile and globally competitive, these changes aim to enable Hitachi to continue to win new train orders. The changes also intend to safeguard high-quality jobs and investment in the British supply chain, in which Hitachi has spent £1.6 billion since 2013.
The increased capability will be significant, allowing Newton Aycliffe to become a full-scope manufacturing facility, from welding panels through to building fully rail-ready trains.
With new welding and painting facilities, similar to those at Hitachi sister factories in Japan and Italy, Newton Aycliffe will be better placed to compete globally. The investment means it can deliver from start to finish a wider range of products, from trams and metros to commuter and high-speed trains, as well as multiple projects at the same time.
Around 40 existing staff are being trained in welding or painting as part of a significant upskilling programme. The factory layout will be redesigned within the footprint of the existing buildings, with the new on-site facilities expected to be completed in autumn 2020.
This will ensure Hitachi is able to deliver its existing order book on time, as well as be ready to work on new manufacturing contracts. Currently, Newton Aycliffe has orders that include 61 new intercity trains for East Coast Open Access, East Midlands Railways and Avanti West Coast, with the first work due to begin in the second half of 2020.
As part of this process, the company has begun a 45-day consultation with employees at the factory, as well as the union Unite, about reducing the number of permanent staff. While this could see up to 250 employees leave the company, there may be opportunities for a number of staff to be redeployed to other parts of Hitachi’s rail business.
Hitachi Rail’s operations include an extensive service and maintenance division, anchored around a 27.5 year contract for IEP, and further contracts which support our fleets in passenger service the length and breadth of the country. The UK also delivers signalling, traffic management and digital services, and is home to Hitachi Rail’s global headquarters, which oversees the activities of 14,000 employees in 33 countries.
Ross Nagle, COO of Manufacturing, Hitachi Rail said: “We’re proud to be investing £8.5 million in new train welding and painting capabilities at Newton Aycliffe, making the factory more competitive and sustainable. It will allow us to complete the full scope of train manufacturing for our customers across a wider range of products, making us one of the most advanced train building factories in the UK.
“New train fleets built by employees at Newton Aycliffe over the last four years are helping to transform Britain’s railway, of which we couldn’t be more proud. However, the cyclical nature of demand in the industry means the factory must be more flexible and agile to secure a long-term, sustainable future.”
Hitachi Rail www.hitachirail.com
