Caterham has announced it will open a brand new manufacturing facility and headquarters later this year as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Still located in Dartford, Kent, the new state-of-the-art building will be home to Caterham’s production, engineering, motorsport and commercial teams.
The multi million poundinvestment from owners VT Holdings – one of Japan’s largest retailer groups – will see Caterham increase its production capacity by 50%, meaning around 750 units could be built annually.
The 54,000 sq ft facility is situated in a brand new nine-acre industrial park development called Dartford X. It is within close proximity to the existing factory, enabling the retention of the skilled workforce who are responsible for hand assembling all cars. The new building will undergo a full fit out in the coming months with completion anticipated towards the end of 2023.
In the future, Caterham plans to offer a range of customer experiences at the site including factory tours, events and vehicle handovers.
Bob Laishley, CEO of Caterham, said: “It’s fitting that, in our 50th anniversary year, we can invest in new premises to facilitate our ambitions, for the future of the Seven and the brand as a whole.
“The site not only increases our production capacity but enables us to advance our manufacturing capabilities into a modern setting. It will be a fantastic new home for the brand, our employees and our customers past, present and future to visit.”
Alastair Dawson, Senior Asset Manager at Railpen, said: “Caterham is a British manufacturing, engineering and marketing success story with a longstanding connection to Dartford. We have worked closely with the brand in its search for a new home, with Dartford X meeting all of Caterham’s criteria to support the business’ continued growth over the coming years, while retaining local jobs and the vitality of its supply chain partners.”
The South East of England has been home to Caterham since it started building cars in 1973 in the town of Caterham, Surrey. In 1987, production moved to Kennet Road in Dartford where its cars have been assembled ever since. This year marks the brand’s 50th anniversary.
To find out more visit https://www.caterhamcars.com/
About Caterham
Caterham (Caterham Cars Ltd) has produced lightweight, two-seater sports cars since 1973 when Graham Nearn acquired the tooling, designs and exclusive rights to the Seven from Lotus founder Colin Chapman. In homage to Chapman, Caterham’s philosophy today continues to put the driving experience and fun at the heart of everything it does. It is committed to delivering a personalised experience for every customer and offers a wide range of options to help buyers create a car that perfectly suits their tastes and driving preferences, both for the road and the track. The British manufacturer produces its unique cars exclusively from within the UK. Today, Caterham is headquartered in Dartford, Kent, where it has built cars in both assembled and kit-build form since 1987. As of 2023, Caterham is represented by over 30 official retailers across 15 key markets globally. The current Caterham UK line-up consists of the Seven Academy Car, Seven 170, Super Seven 600, Super Seven 2000, Seven 360, Seven 420, Seven 420 Cup and Seven 620. The current European range consists of the Seven 170, Super Seven 600, Super Seven 2000, Seven 340, Seven 485 and Seven 485CSR. Additional models are available for international markets. The brand also operates a successful motorsport division consisting of five UK racing series aimed at all levels of driver experience. There are also multiple Caterham racing championships in France and Portugal. Since 1995, the Caterham Academy – the entry-level racing series – has seen more than 1,300 novice drivers become fully bonified racing drivers. Caterham is owned by Japanese retail group VT Holdings, which has served as a Caterham importer since 2009. VT Holdings is one of Japan’s largest retailer groups. Caterham is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2023 with multiple events to mark this significant milestone taking place throughout the year. https://www.caterhamcars.com/en
About Author
