Schneider invests £42m in Scarborough plant, creating 200 jobs
9 September 2024 
Schneider Electric is investing £42m to build a new manufacturing facility in Scarborough, North Yorkshire to meet the demand for electrical equipment needed to drive the UK’s move to cleaner energy, including renewable energy sources, electric vehicles, and intelligent, energy-efficient buildings. The project is expected to create more than 200 jobs.
Scarborough is a long-established manufacturing base for Schneider Electric, and it currently employs 450 people in the town, mainly manufacturing low-voltage switchgear. Operations will relocate to the new facility at Scarborough Business Park, from Schneider Electric’s current premises, less than 500m away. The new 16,500m2 site is almost three times the size of the existing facility.
The new site is expected to be a net-zero plant in Scope 1 and 2 emissions when it opens in early 2025, and will use modern technologies to reduce energy waste and maximise the use of renewable energy.
Last October, Schneider announced plans for a £7.2m upgrade to its site in Leeds. The company expects to create more than 300 jobs in Yorkshire over the next ten years.
Kelly Becker, Schneider Electric’s president for the UK & Ireland, Belgium & Netherlands, says that Yorkshire “has long been part of our operational presence in the UK, and we’re excited to expand this as part of our commitment to investing in the UK’s green economy. The new facility in Scarborough represents a pillar of innovation in net-zero, and one which will be an industry benchmark for the transition to sustainable, energy efficient buildings.”
The business and trade secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, has welcomed Schneider’s announcement, saying: “This huge investment from Schneider Electric will not only safeguard existing jobs but create 200 new ones. Increasing investment is a mission at the heart of this government, and our modern industrial strategy will help us deliver long-term, stable growth that supports skilled jobs.
“Our commitment to becoming a clean energy superpower is steadfast,” he adds, “and investments like these in North Yorkshire make a huge contribution to bolstering the UK as a leader in energy management and automation. We’re showing investors that Britain is back as a stable place to do business, helping to secure the investment needed to make every part of our country better off.”
Make UK CEO Stephen Phipson, describes Schneider’s plans as “a marvellous example of how sustainable manufacturing can be achieved, creating many highly skilled jobs in the process. Green technologies are going to be the solution to many of the challenges that we face and Schneider should be applauded for pioneering this facility. It is an exemplar model for other manufacturers to follow when they build new facilities.”
The new plant will incorporate one of Europe’s first fully electric paint lines, supporting decarbonised operation. Some 30% of the facility’s energy will come from solar energy, with solar panels covering half of its roof. A building management system based on Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure platform will ensure energy-efficient operations and will include light sensors, automated heating and cooling. Any energy consumed on-site from the national grid will be “renewable certified”.
Schneider Electric currently employs 5,000 people in the UK and Ireland. Its head office is in London, and it has 13 operational sites across the UK manufacturing automation and control, electrical distribution and building management, and other technologies.
