Chris Brownridge, Chief Executive of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, marked the official start of above-ground construction of the new main building by signing the first steel column erected on the company’s extension site at Goodwood.

The signed steel column is the first of 437 that, together with beams and other supporting members, will form the internal framework of the new 40,000 square-metre (430,500 sq ft) facility. The columns vary in size according to their location and function, but typically stand 12-13m (c. 40 feet) high. They will be lifted in by crane, guided into position by staff on the ground and securely bolted to the concrete foundation pads which were cast on the site earlier this year.

Adopting the same pattern used for the foundation pads, Rolls-Royce’s technical construction & engineering partner is placing the first columns on the site’s northern elevation, then gradually working their way southwards.

The finished framework will be clad with sustainable materials, carefully selected for their longevity, low environmental impact, aesthetic value and ability to blend in with the surrounding landscape. Like the existing manufacturing plant, the new building will have a living roof, providing an important new habitat for birds and insects; it will also generate its own renewable energy, using air-source heat pumps for low-level heating and a bio-solar roof to produce electricity.

Once complete, the building will house a new Exterior Surface Finish Centre (paint shop) together with a range of new equipment and dedicated areas for Bespoke and Coachbuild commissions, as well as production of the marque’s new generation of battery-electric motor cars.

The Chief Executive’s personal signature of approval on the work recalls the practice on the marque’s assembly line, whereby individual elements such as doors and chassis components were signed off with a chinagraph pencil by a supervisor before progressing to the next stage of assembly. This practice was also followed by Sir Henry Royce himself, who personally inspected and signed off every design produced by his team.

The columns represent the first permanent above-ground elements of the new building. The site is already home to a group of temporary offices, known as the Construction Hub, which acts as the central headquarters for the Site Strategy team and independent contractors working together on the extension project.

At £300 million, the new extension represents the largest single investment in the Home of Rolls-Royce since it opened in 2003. It will help safeguard thousands of jobs and boost Rolls‑Royce’s contribution to the UK economy, which currently stands at over £500 million annually.

Chris Brownridge, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars adds: “Today’s signing ceremony is an important symbolic moment for this landmark project. We wanted to formally mark the start of construction on the main building, which is so central to our future, and to the enormous economic contribution Rolls-Royce Motor Cars makes to the local, regional and national economies"

"The work will continue at pace, with a target to complete the structure within the next nine months; we can then move on to fitting-out and installing the new equipment and facilities we need to support our rapidly growing Bespoke activities, complex Coachbuild commissions and growing portfolio of battery-electric motor cars.”