The UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC), the national battery manufacturing scale-up facility, has appointed Carol Rose Burke CBE, the Managing Director of Unipart Manufacturing Group (UMG), to its board as a non-executive director.
Having joined Unipart in 1994, Carol is one of the UK’s leading advocates for manufacturing and engineering, and is responsible for UMG’s ‘Manufacturing Partner’ strategy, created to support the automotive sectors shift away from the internal combustion engine to alternative forms of propulsion.
One of UMG’s most recent projects has brought together their expertise in Tier 1 manufacturing, with WAE Technologies’ design, to create Hyperbat Limited. This joint venture has successfully begun manufacturing batteries for the world’s fastest supercar, the Lotus Evija.
Sean Gilgunn, UKBIC’s recently appointed Managing Director, said: “I am delighted with Carol’s appointment to the board. With a career spanning more than 30 years, her experience and insight will be invaluable to us as we develop our capabilities in the battery industry. Carol’s experience in bringing new technologies to market, and ultimately transferring this expertise into non-automotive sectors, will be a fantastic asset to UKBIC and the wider battery industry.”
Carol Rose Burke CBE added: “As a passionate advocate for manufacturing and engineering in the UK, I’m delighted to be joining the board of UKBIC. With the transition to electrification and the global move to zero emission vehicles well underway, and with AESC and Tata Group committed to building battery manufacturing plants in the UK, this is a really exciting time to be joining UKBIC.”
Coventry-based UKBIC is a key part of the Faraday Battery Challenge, a UK Government programme to fast track the development of cost-effective, high-performance, durable, safe, low-weight and recyclable batteries.
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About UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC)
The UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) is the UK’s national manufacturing battery development facility, where businesses can develop their battery manufacturing processes at the scale they need to move to industrial production.
Opened in July 2021 by the then British Prime Minister, the £130 million Coventry-based facility provides the link between battery research and successful mass production.
Based in Coventry, the publicly-funded battery facility welcomes manufacturers, entrepreneurs, researchers and educators, and can be accessed by any organisation with existing or new battery technology – if that technology will bring green jobs and prosperity to the UK.
The pioneering facility is a key part of the UK Government funded Faraday Battery Challenge, which has been delivered by Innovate UK on behalf of UK Research and Innovation, with the aim of building a high-tech, high-value, high-skill battery industry in the UK.
In addition to funding from the Faraday Battery Challenge through UK Research and Innovation, UKBIC’s completion was part-funded through the West Midlands Combined Authority. The facility was delivered through a consortium of Coventry City Council, Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership and WMG, at the University of Warwick. UKBIC was created in 2018 following a competition led by the Advanced Propulsion Centre with support from Innovate UK.
About the Faraday Battery Challenge
The Faraday Battery Challenge, delivered by Innovate UK, is a £541 million UKRI Challenge Fund investment, delivering a mission-led, research and innovation programme that covers “Lab to Factory” development, cutting-edge research, national scale-up infrastructure, and skills and training. The FBC seeks to address market failures in road transport decarbonisation and to attract investors to the UK’s battery industry. By leveraging scientific strength, with our delivery partners: Faraday Institution, UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) and Innovate UK, we are building an ecosystem that supports industry growth and ensures UK prosperity.
About UK Research and Innovation
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is the largest public funder of research and innovation in the UK, with a budget of around £8bn. It is composed of seven disciplinary research councils, Innovate UK and Research England.
We operate across the whole country and work with our many partners in higher education, research organisations businesses, government, and charities.
Our vision is for an outstanding research and innovation system in the UK that gives everyone the opportunity to contribute and to benefit, enriching lives locally, nationally and internationally.
Our mission is to convene, catalyse and invest in close collaboration with others to build a thriving, inclusive research and innovation system that connects discovery to prosperity and public good.
