Agratas reaches milestone as digital construction advances delivery of the UK’s battery manufacturing facility project today.
Agratas, Tata Group’s global battery business, has completed the steel frame for its Bridgwater, Somerset battery facility, marking progress in one of the UK’s largest industrial construction programmes. Construction of the multi-billion-pound scheme began in 2024, positioning the site as a cornerstone project within the digital construction sector and the UK’s clean energy supply chain.
Once operational, the facility will manufacture battery cells supporting electric vehicle production and grid-scale energy storage, strengthening domestic battery manufacturing capability and supply resilience.
Building One, the first phase of development, now stands on a steel frame extending 525 metres in length and 167 metres in width, reaching 34 metres at its highest point. The structure required 23,000 tonnes of steel, comparable to the quantity used for Wembley Stadium, with all steel sourced from UK suppliers. More than 500 personnel supported delivery of the steel installation across coordinated digital construction workflows.
Completion of the frame enables progress towards cladding installation, roofing works and internal fit-out using digital engineering and coordinated construction delivery methods.
Collaboration
The steel construction package has been delivered by Agratas’ construction partner Sir Robert McAlpine, working with steel contractor Severfield and integrated engineering teams from Stantec, demonstrating collaborative digital construction delivery on a complex UK battery gigafactory project.
Industry Minister Chris McDonald said: “This is another major milestone for a site that’s set to play a key role in our clean energy transition, delivering vital battery cells for EVs and renewable power – a central aim of our Modern Industrial Strategy.
“The use of 100% British-made steel in the construction of the factory’s frame demonstrates our steelmaking capability and competitiveness, and it’s also the proper and responsible approach to steel sourcing by the developer. I look forward to seeing thousands of high-quality jobs created from this site in the years ahead.”
Paul McNerney, Chief Executive Officer at Severfield, added: “Completing the steel frame for Building One is a major milestone for us all. I would like to acknowledge the expertise and skill of our team working on the project and thank them for their commitment.
“The scale and complexity of the project, delivered against a demanding programme, highlights the strength of Severfield’s engineering expertise, and the spirit of teamwork Sir Robert McAlpine and the wider client team have fostered across the project. We’re proud to be supporting the delivery of one of the UK’s most important new industrial facilities and renewed investment in UK manufacturing.”
Regional impact
Recruitment will continue throughout the next year, with approximately 1,600 roles supporting battery cell production across operations, engineering, maintenance, logistics and quality functions. Once fully operational, the Agratas Somerset facility is expected to support around 4,000 jobs while contributing over £700 million annually to the South West economy, reinforcing the value of digital construction investment in UK manufacturing infrastructure.
Agratas’ Bridgwater project demonstrates how digital construction delivery, UK manufacturing capability, and energy transition investment combine to support industrial growth, regional employment, and future battery production nationwide.
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