Partner members Agratas and Sir Robert McAlpine share latest updates on the battery facility and future jobs and contracts.
Sedgemoor Chamber of Commerce welcomed businesses from across Somerset and the wider area to The Castle Hotel in Taunton on the 3rd of December for a special Agratas Breakfast Briefing. The event brought members together to hear the latest updates on the multi billion pound battery cell manufacturing facility being developed at the Gravity Smart Campus near Bridgwater, and to learn more about how local companies can get involved.
Guests enjoyed an incredible venue in all its Christmas glory, a buffet breakfast, and connecting before settling in for informative presentations from Nick Cooper of Agratas and Darren Crew of Sir Robert Mcalpine. Attendees included a wide range of organisations from across the region and further afield, reflecting the scale of interest in this project and its importance for Somerset’s economy.
The Agratas facility is expected to deliver nearly half of the United Kingdom’s battery capacity for the automotive industry by the early 2030s, creating up to four thousand skilled jobs in the Somerset area and thousands more across the national supply chain. At the briefing, delegates heard more detail on the progress of the build, plans as we move towards production in 2027, and the company’s work with local partners on skills, education and long term economic opportunity.
Key takeaways for businesses included planned recruitment of around 500 hires in 2026 and 750 in 2027, and the confirmation that timescales for tender opportunities have now been added to the procurement portal.
As partner members of Sedgemoor Chamber of Commerce, both Agratas and Sir Robert McAlpine are committed to working closely with our membership. Events like this briefing showcase that relationship in action, giving local firms direct access to project leaders, up to date information and clear routes into future opportunities.
The briefing also reinforced the message that the Agratas Supply Chain Portal is now live. Global battery company Agratas has launched the portal to invite businesses to register their interest in becoming suppliers or contractors for the facility, which is being delivered by Sir Robert McAlpine. The project represents a once in a generation opportunity for Sedgemoor’s business community, with demand across sectors including construction, engineering, manufacturing, logistics, facilities management and professional services.
This project is a major milestone for our region and will bring far-reaching opportunities for local businesses. We’re encouraging all members from trades and suppliers to training providers and service-based companies to register their interest. Local companies should be at the heart of this development.
Roger Smith, General Manager of the Sedgemoor Chamber of Commerce
The Chamber will continue to work closely with Agratas and Sir Robert McAlpine to ensure local businesses have the best possible access to information, networking and partnership opportunities as the project develops.
The event was kindly sponsored by Pardoes Solicitors. As Somerset’s largest and longest established legal firm, Pardoes has been supporting the communities of Bridgwater, Taunton and Yeovil for over one hundred years, providing expert legal advice and a personal, transparent service for individuals, families and businesses.
