NAA Update: Investment announcements from McLaren and Bentley
McLaren and Bentley’s recent investment announcements provide a strong vote of confidence in the future of automotive manufacturing in the UK, and the North West in particular.
McLaren’s continued commitment to its UK operations with a total of £500 million investment announced, reinforces the country’s reputation as a global centre for high-performance engineering, advanced technology and automotive innovation, while Bentley’s £350 million investment to build its first fully electric vehicle in Crewe marks a major milestone in the UK’s transition to zero-emission mobility.
These positive developments come as the industry seeks clarity over proposed EU “Made in Europe” measures, which could exclude UK-built vehicles from incentives and procurement schemes. However, there is growing optimism that the strong economic interdependence between the two markets, combined with continued UK investment in electrification and advanced manufacturing, provides a compelling case for collaboration.
Elsewhere, I would like to express congratulations to all of the award winners at our recent Annual Networking Dinner & Business Awards 2026 event last month – once again the standard of entries was very high making the judges’ task a difficult one. In particular I would like to single out MGS Technical Plastics, winner of our prestigious Company of the Year Award, for their outstanding achievements over the last 12 months, which you will have the opportunity to view first-hand by registering for our November networking event that will be held at their Blackburn premises – please register with Zoe.
Moving on to the membership side, we would like to welcome one new member:
Agent – With studios in Liverpool and Manchester, Agent is a proud B Corp and award-winning marketing agency, committed to creating powerfully good work alongside leading brands, forward-thinking companies and progressive organisations that want to achieve good growth.
We will be hearing more from these member(s) in the coming months.
Paul Jones
NAA CEO
