Aston Martin, Jaguar Land Rover, TVR And Riversimple Are Backing Autolink 2016

Representatives from Aston Martin and Jaguar Land Rover are attending and presenting at Autolink 2016 when they will meet Wales based exhibitors and highlight products and services they require to meet their production forecasts. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Autolink opens at the Cardiff City Stadium on the 18th October and provides an opportunity for Wales based organisations to showcase their products, technologies and services to selected Vehicle Manufacturers and Tier 1 companies based inside and outside of Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The event, organised by the Welsh Automotive Forum brings cross-sector manufacturing companies into contact with suppliers at an engineering and purchasing level. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

TVR, which is to produce the latest model of its iconic brand of high performance cars in Wales, will also be present together with Hugo Spowers, founder and CEO of Riversimple Movement, which has developed a sleek, affordable 2 seater hydrogen fuel cell car in Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Economy Secretary Ken Skates, who will address the event, said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Autolink is funded by the Welsh Government with the aim of enabling companies working across a range of sectors to get a better understanding of the requirements of these manufacturers and their Tier 1 suppliers. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We have a great line-up of car manufacturers at Autolink and I am delighted high profile companies like Aston Martin and TVR that are investing in Wales, are also supporting the event. It opens up a raft of opportunities for our supply chain companies while also presenting a chance to meet the buyers and network.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

He added that Wales has a strong cluster of around 150 companies – including international component manufacturers – involved in the automotive supply chain, employing around 18,000 people and generating over £3billion to the Welsh economy. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Autolink provides Wales based companies with the chance to exhibit their products and services at the event – areas of interest include: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

• Vehicle components: Metal pressings, Castings, Forgings, Mouldings, Wiring Harnesses, Sensors, HVAC, Brake Systems, Powertrain, Interior Trim.
• Materials: Graphene, Powder Technologies and Additive Layering, Carbon Fibre, Innovative Lightweight Materials, Decorative Trim and Coating Technologies.
• Connected Car: Laser, Radar, Camera and Sensor specialists with associated technologies for integration.
• Software: Cyber Security, User Experience, Analytics, Data, Industry 4.0, Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence.
• Other Services: Special purpose machines, Tooling, Control Systems and Automation, Warehousing, Logistics, Measurement and Test.

This year the exhibition will feature a ‘Technology Corner’ where innovative products and services from industry and academia will foster collaborative discussion with their representatives. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Companies wishing to attend need to register at https://wales.business-events.org.uk/en/bookbasket/32327/ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​