TR Fastenings’ Director of automotive business development Chris Black has been invited to be the industrial lead for the new trade working group set-up by the North East Automotive Alliance (NEAA).
Founded in 2015, NEAA is an industry-led automotive cluster which aims to be at the forefront of the Government’s strategy to progress automotive technologies within the UK. According to NEAA, the North East produces 30% of all UK passenger vehicles, which includes 20% of all electric vehicles across Europe and 10% of all UK non-highway vehicles per year. It is home to a globally competitive supply chain that consists of 31 tier 1 suppliers and a host of specialist SMEs, R&D centres.
The recently launched trade group is a key part of NEAA’s five year strategy to better understand and support the trade activity of its members. With over 35 years of industry experience and being an active alliance member, Chris Black is well placed to share latest insights, best practices and successes achieved through his global leadership position at TR Fastenings.
“Since joining the alliance five years ago, I’ve been actively involved in attending meetings, events and providing guidance, whilst also encouraging collaboration between members. The alliance has grown significantly during this time which reflects the buoyancy in this sector and a need for a trade support mechanism for members,” commented Chris Black.
“TR has a vast global footprint which continues to expand and by sharing our experiences with fellow members, we can help to find solutions to the challenges of growing overseas such as investment, recruitment and securing new business. This trade group brings together ambitious companies looking to scale up, within the UK and abroad, and I am truly delighted to be working with Rohan Kohli at the NEAA to support this new initiative.”
