Siemens to invest £100m on Chippenham research centre

Siemens will replace its current Chippenham factory with a state-of-the-art facility

Technology giant Siemens is to create a new £100m digital engineering facility in Wiltshire.

The company says it is going to replace its existing rail infrastructure factory in Chippenham with a research and development centre (R&D).

The new facility, which will be located at SouthPoint Business Park, is expected to open by 2026.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said the commitment from Siemens was "a big boost" for UK manufacturing.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt attended the launch event in Chippenham on Monday

Speaking at an event launching the announcement at the technology giant's current Westinghouse site on Monday, Mr Hunt said: "Our strategy is to become a global leader in the industries that are going to grow the fastest in the 21st century, and those sectors are all linked to technology."

Mr Hunt said the "digital technology will improve the safety, reliability and connectivity of our railways and drive sustainable opportunities in higher-paid jobs and exports."

Once completed, all 800 local staff will transfer over to the new facility, which will build digital rail signalling and control systems.

Rob Morris, joint CEO of Siemens Mobility in the UK & Ireland said the investment was a "strong commitment to Chippenham", where the company has had a base since 2013.

The new facility will be built to strict sustainability criteria

"Siemens Mobility's Chippenham site, along with our 30 sites across the country, has been transforming rail travel and transport in Britain - and it will continue to do so with cloud-based rail technology connecting the real and the digital worlds, digitalizing rail," he said.

Karl Blaim, CFO and MD of Siemens Mobility and Chair of Siemens Holdings, said it was a "day to be proud of" and the new facility will become "the most modern railway signalling facility of its kind not only in the UK but the whole world."

The current Siemens factory in Chippenham was founded by signalling contractor Evans O'Donnell in 1897.

It was later acquired by the Westinghouse Brake and Signalling Company, before becoming part of Siemens network in 2013.

Since then, it has played a pivotal role in major projects such as the Elizabeth Line, North Wales Coast and Birmingham New Street Station redevelopment.