CASE STUDY: Magna International - Foreign investment heavyweight

12th July 2023

Magna International was searching for the perfect location for a multimillion pound casting factory and Telford’s connectivity and workforce proved a winning combination.

When global automotive manufacturing firm Magna International opened a major new plant in Telford in 2018 it created something of a landmark.

The 250,000 sq ft factory, run by its Cosma Casting arm, sits high on Nedge Hill south-east of the town within the highly successful T54 Business Park.

But the high-tech facility, which makes aluminium components for Jaguar Land Rover, is also a symbol of the borough’s ability to draw in big players.

At the official opening it was described as ‘the single biggest foreign investment deal in the region in the last 10 years’ by Councillor Shaun Davies, leader of the council.

Magna’s multimillion pound investment created more than 400 jobs plus many more in the local and regional supply chain. It could have picked a multitude of locations – so why did it choose Telford?

‘We work very closely with Jaguar Land Rover who have assembly plants in Birmingham and Liverpool, so Telford’s T54 site, was an ideal choice for the new facility,’ explains Darren Height, General Manager of Cosma Casting UK.  

Telford is well located with great road links to the north, south and Midlands, as well as in and around the local area. It has also provided access to a highly skilled local workforce’. 

It’s one thing to find the right place for your business, but quite another to secure a site and capable workforce that meets current and future requirements.

‘The council were key to helping us find the right setting,’ Darren says.

‘We have a state-of-the-art facility in a fantastic setting, close to the M54 with scope for future expansion. It’s hard to imagine a more impressive site anywhere else in the West Midlands.’

The company is now working with the council and its partners to use Magna’s experience to support training and skills development in Telford.

‘We’re very happy to be able to share our experience and contribute to the ongoing investment in the future of Telford. It has been very beneficial to access training resources and connect with other organisations in the area.

‘This is a great success story for Telford. A global company – with more than 150,000 employees around the world – chose Telford to open its world-class casting facility. From our perspective this is a really positive outcome and a great location for the business.’