11 Facts About Longbridge plant

1.

Longbridge plant is an industrial complex in Longbridge, Birmingham, England, currently leased by SAIC as a research and development facility for its MG Motor subsidiary.

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2.

Longbridge plant returned to England in 1893 as manager of an Australian company relocating to Birmingham.

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3.

Longbridge plant was part of a significant rapid mobilisation process which took place across Europe on the outbreak of World War I Machines that had been used to build Austin cars were employed to produce munitions, and all the resources of the factory were harnessed to serve the armed forces.

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4.

Works and Longbridge plant had grown to over ten times their prewar size, no peace-time products were being made.

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5.

Major wartime additions to Longbridge plant included a large steel-foundry, a very large sheet metal pressings shop and a very large and complete hardening and heat-treatment shop.

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6.

Longbridge plant produced parts for tanks, while aircraft were produced at the Austin Aero shadow factory at nearby Cofton Hackett.

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7.

Longbridge plant laid plans for a rapid expansion, new models, and overseas marketing.

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8.

Expansion work at Longbridge plant was completed in 1979 to allow a new assembly line for the forthcoming new supermini car, which was launched in 1980 as the Austin Metro.

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9.

In 1989, a new Longbridge plant-built model was launched, the second generation Rover 200 .

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10.

However, continuing heavy losses alarmed BMW shareholders and in 2000 Rover Cars and the Longbridge plant factory were sold to the Phoenix Consortium, who renamed it MG Rover Group, in a management buyout for the token sum of £10.

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11.

At the time many financial commentators claimed that the Longbridge plant was not modern enough and that the company would surely run out of money within a few years.

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