£4BN ($5BN) FOR ‘UK PLC’
ROLLS-ROYCE MOTOR CARS: A BRITISH SUCCESS STORY
- Rolls-Royce Motor Cars unveils results of landmark Economic Impact Analysis
- Independent study undertaken by London School of Economics (LSE)
- Contribution to UK economy since 2003 of more than £4 billion (US$5 billion)
- Rolls-Royce is one of the largest employers in West Sussex, supporting 2,500+ full-time equivalent jobs
- A further 7,500 jobs are supported in the wider supply chain
- Includes training and education, knowledge and skills transfer within supplier companies and support for local charities and social enterprise
As Rolls-Royce Motor Cars marks two decades of production at Goodwood, a landmark survey reveals the company’s extraordinary impact on both the local and national economies. The independent study, the first commissioned by Rolls-Royce in its history, was led by Dr Alexander Grous of the London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE) and includes figures up to and including 2022.
“Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is a Great British success story. As we mark 20 years of production at our Home in Goodwood, we do so in the knowledge that not only have we have produced some of the world’s most significant super-luxury products, but we have also made a major economic contribution to the economy in which we are based. Through our rare crafts and craftsmanship, international customer base and products admired and cherished worldwide, we are sustaining thousands of skilled jobs and playing a key role in promoting the UK’s reputation as a hub of creativity and innovation.”
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
OVERALL ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION
The LSE report shows that since production began at Goodwood in 2003, Rolls-Royce has contributed more than £4 billion to the UK economy, serving as a flagship of the nation’s luxury and automotive sectors and, crucially, ‘UK PLC’. This contribution is long-term and sustainable. Rolls-Royce invests around £10 million every year in its facilities and operations to support its production, reflected in a series of ‘record years’ peaking to date in 2022 at over 6,000 motor cars sold worldwide. Rolls-Royce is also able to confirm its standing as one of the largest employers in West Sussex, England.
SUPPORTING JOBS LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY
More than 2,500 people are employed at the UK Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, including 150 jobs created in 2022 alone. The company also supports more than 7,500 additional full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs within its wider national supply chain. Importantly, Rolls-Royce did not make a single redundancy during the Covid-19 pandemic – one of very few UK manufacturers to maintain its workforce entirely intact.
INDIRECT AND INTANGIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS
Rolls-Royce contributes to the local and national knowledge economies through its leading-edge R&D in fields including hardware, software, electrification, digitalisation, and vehicle connectivity. These activities are growing rapidly in both scale and importance, with Rolls-Royce committed to all-electric propulsion by the end of 2030.
A CONTINUING SUCCESS STORY
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has formally announced proposals to expand the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood. It has acquired land to the east of the current site and planning permission will be sought later this year.
The project’s primary objective is to upgrade the manufacturing plant; some facilities and equipment are now 20 years old and require replacement and upgrading.
The expansion does not, however, signal any shift in the marque’s fundamental approach or values: Rolls-Royce is not, never has been and never will be a volume-driven business.
The new facility will reflect the fact that the marque is no longer simply an automotive manufacturer, but a true luxury house creating the world’s best, most recognised, and highly prized Bespoke products.
Spectre
The company is also looking to increase capacity for its Bespoke and Coachbuild operations, as well as preparing for its new generation of electric vehicles. The first customer deliveries of the all-electric super-coupé, Rolls-Royce Spectre, are due in the fourth quarter of 2023: all new Rolls-Royce models will be electric by the end of 2030.
