Construction underway on new commercial vehicle workshop and sales facility at Ravenscraig
Set for completion in early 2026, the purpose-built facility will support the sales, servicing, and parts supply of DAF Trucks, ensuring Motus Commercials can continue meeting growing customer demand.
Construction is now underway on Motus Commercials' new 38,000 sq ft commercial vehicle workshop and sales facility at Ravenscraig.
The development, located within the site's dedicated employment zone, SevenFourEight, marks a key milestone in the regeneration of one of Europe's largest brownfield sites.
Set for completion in early 2026, the purpose-built facility will support the sales, servicing, and parts supply of DAF Trucks, ensuring Motus Commercials can continue meeting growing customer demand.
The UK's largest DAF dealer group is relocating from its Bellshill site to expand operations and enhance working conditions for its team.
The new investment comes after Fusion Assets received planning permission for a new £10m employment hub adjacent to the Motus Commercials site.
Russell Wilkie, director at Ravenscraig Limited, said: 'Breaking ground on this development is another step forward in Ravenscraig's transformation into a thriving business and employment hub.
'Motus Commercials' investment highlights the site's strategic importance and its role in driving economic growth, taking us one step further to achieving our goal of creating a thriving, self-sufficient community.'
Matt Lawrenson, managing director of Motus Commercials, added: 'Breaking ground at our new Ravenscraig facility marks an exciting milestone for Motus Commercials.
'This purpose-built site reflects our commitment to growth and delivering best-in-class services for our customers, while also providing high-quality jobs and modern working conditions for our team.
'We're proud to be part of Ravenscraig's regeneration journey and look forward to the opportunities this new location will bring.'
With direct motorway access and additional development plots available, Ravenscraig continues to attract investment, strengthening its position as a key industrial hub in Scotland's central belt.
*Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.
And did you know Lanarkshire Live is on Facebook? Head on over and give us a like and share!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
8 hours ago
- The Independent
Oh, Canada! Trump cuts off all trade talks with US's northern neighbor citing ‘blatant attack on our country'
President Donald Trump on Friday said he was suspending all trade talks with Canada — and making plans to force Americans to pay high import taxes on its goods — after the northern ally's finance department confirmed plans to collect a digital services tax. The late afternoon move quickly caused markets to spiral amid fears of a return to t he president's self-inflicted trade war. In a post on Truth Social, the president complained that he had 'just been informed' about the Canadian government's decision, which will see it require payment of a 3-percent tax on revenue collected from Canadian users of digital platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and X, above $14.6 million in a calendar year retroactive to 2022. The tax could saddle American technology companies with bills as large as $2 billion for the first retroactive payments. Although it is meant to apply to any company that provides digital services and takes in profits from selling advertising or user data, Trump groused that it amounted to Ottawa 'putting a Digital Services Tax on our American Technology Companies' and called the move 'a direct and blatant attack on our Country.' 'They are obviously copying the European Union, which has done the same thing, and is currently under discussion with us, also,' wrote Trump, who added that the result of the 'egregious tax' would be the U.S. 'hereby terminating ALL discussions on Trade with Canada, effective immediately.' The president concluded his post with an unsubstantiated claim that any tariffs on Canadian goods would be paid by the government of Canada (rather than by American importers and consumers), writing: 'We will let Canada know the Tariff that they will be paying to do business with the United States of America within the next seven day period.' Trump's threat to punish Canada by taxing Americans comes just weeks after a group of House members wrote to him urging 'a swift government response' to any attempt by Canada to collect what they called an 'unprecedented, retroactive tax' that would 'set a terrible precedent that will have long-lasting impacts on global tax and trade practices.' 'Allowing Canada to proceed with this unprecedented, retroactive tax on U.S. firms would send a signal to the rest of the world that they have the green light to proceed with similar discriminatory cash grabs targeting our firms, workers, and tax base,' they said. According to the U.S. Trade Representative's office, U.S. goods trade with Canada totaled roughly $762 billion last year, making Canada one of the country's two largest trading partners. Earlier this month, Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced an agreement to set a July 21 deadline for a new trade agreement at the Group of Seven summit hosted by Carney in Alberta. Ottawa has been pushing for Washington to stand down from the 50 percent tax currently charged on steel, aluminum and automobile imports as well as other taxes Trump has unilaterally imposed on Americans with the aim of purportedly punishing Canada for not doing enough to stop fentanyl trafficking. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court for International Trade had previously ruled that Trump's use of tariffs for such purposes was illegal but that ruling is on hold pending an appeal.
JAMnews
11 hours ago
- JAMnews
Armenia reacts to global gold price surge: producers and sellers respond
Armenia reacts to global gold price surge In April 2025, the global price of gold reached a new record, exceeding $3,500 per troy ounce of 999 fine gold. The Armenian market responded immediately — prices rose. According to the Central Bank's exchange rate, the average price of 1 gram of 999 fine gold in April stood at around 42,000 drams ($110), and for 585 gold — 25,000 drams ($65.50). These prices remain in effect today. The price increases on the local market over the past year have led to a decline in sales. A troy ounce — the standard unit of weight for precious metals — is equal to 31.1 grams. Buyers in Armenia are watching market developments with concern. Even dedicated jewellery enthusiasts are avoiding risky purchases, despite gold traditionally being considered a stable investment. Producers increase export volumes Artavazd and Gor Sargsyan, brothers who have been producing gold jewellery for 18 years, admit they did not anticipate such a sharp rise in gold prices. 'Small price fluctuations have always existed. Prices used to vary within $2–5 per gram. But now, just look at what's happening. The market price for one gram of 585 gold has reached 30,000 drams. To compare, in 2024, a gram of the same gold cost 20,000 drams — that's a 30% increase. People blame us for raising jewellery prices, but they don't realise the real cause is the high cost of raw materials,' explains Gor Sargsyan. Sales volumes have dropped by half. As a result, some jewellery is now produced exclusively for export. According to the businessman, they export to Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan, and the UAE: 'Unlike our fellow citizens, people in these countries buy gold as an investment. So the price surge hasn't really changed their behaviour. They buy at high prices and sell at high prices too.' Gor Sargsyan believes that in Armenia, gold jewellery is mostly bought for special occasions — weddings, birthdays, christenings: 'There aren't many buyers who purchase gold jewellery out of love for it or to use it as a financial cushion. Some items we only produce on request — whether for local sale or export. It could be a major financial loss for us if products sit unsold for a long time. Gold jewellery, like clothing or other goods, can go out of fashion.' He adds that the global gold price hike has significantly impacted sales volumes for all local producers. However, so far, they've managed to offset their costs through exports. Sellers turn to social media as sales struggle The situation has proven more difficult for another part of the business chain — those selling gold and gold jewellery. Naira, who sells jewellery at Yerevan's gold market, says she had to reactivate her Facebook and Instagram pages just to cover basic expenses such as stall rent: 'Of course, most of my customers are regulars, but I do get some new ones too. Right now, we have a few trendy models that we've started offering in lighter weights — those are selling.' According to her, buyers are now typically spending around 100,000 drams ($260): 'More expensive pieces are only of interest to very specific clients. We had strong sales right after the COVID-19 pandemic — 2023 was a record year for us. Now, we're just trying to keep our spot at the market, cover costs, and earn at least a little income. But we're hopeful.' Sellers at the market declined to make any forecasts. Instead, they appealed to the government to consider their situation and, at the very least, stop 'squeezing' them with taxes. They noted that in other countries, steps are being taken to support production and sales amid the global price surge. 'Gold price rise won't shake Armenia's economy' Economist Armen Ktoyan attributes the record surge in global gold prices to the weakening of the US dollar amid a trade war launched by President Donald Trump — and the resulting increase in demand for gold as a reserve asset: 'Globally, gold remains the most stable reserve asset. Today, the winners are those states, entrepreneurs, and individuals who chose gold as an investment. Armenia won't benefit from rising prices for this precious metal, as it holds no gold reserves.' According to Ktoyan, Armenia served as a transit country over the past two to three years for gold exports from Russia to the UAE: 'This generated additional income in the country. But recent statistics show a drop in Armenia's foreign trade turnover in gold — although it's hard to directly link that to the price surge.' He emphasises that jewellery is a priority sector for Armenia's economy. Rising prices could have brought in more revenue — but only if purchasing power and export volumes had remained unchanged. On the question of whether it is wise to invest in gold, Ktoyan notes that behaviour varies depending on expectations: 'There's a logic to it: if prices are expected to rise, investors move their spare funds into gold as an asset — leading to increased buying. Conversely, if prices are expected to fall, they divert funds elsewhere.' He believes fanatical jewellery buyers follow a different logic. Most are simply hoping prices will drop again so they can return to buying appealing items. Rather than offering forecasts, Armen Ktoyan advises keeping a close eye on global trends and external factors influencing gold prices. In any case, he is confident that no serious shocks to Armenia's economy are expected in this sector. Armenia reacts to global gold price surge
Glasgow Times
15 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
£3.9bn green AI data centre planned for Ravenscraig
The development by renewable energy company Apatura is slated for the former steel mill site which is estimated to cost £3.9 billion. The AI data centre will be powered by 550 megawatts of grid connections due to come online by 2030. (Image: Supplied) The project, which is part of Ravenscraig's regeneration after the steelworks closed in 1992, is expected to bring thousands of new jobs and billions in investment to the area. The centre will use renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. Read more: Man dies after police rush to Glasgow property amid incident Two Cumbernauld organisations receive share of £10k community fund Apatura is working with site owners Ravenscraig Ltd and North Lanarkshire Council to advance the proposal. Giles Hanglin, chief executive officer of Apatura, said: "This proposal plays strongly to Scotland's strengths – in green energy, in AI, in education and in skills – and would complement the country's significant capabilities in big data and research. "If we were selected as an AI Growth Zone it would be a significant endorsement of our ambition to make Scotland a powerhouse of green, AI-enabled digital infrastructure – starting with Ravenscraig and extending across the central belt." (Image: Supplied) The Ravenscraig data centre is set to contribute an additional 0.4 per cent to Scotland's annual GDP once operational. Russell Wilkie, director of Ravenscraig, said: "This is an exciting opportunity for Ravenscraig to be at the forefront of green data centres which will transform Scotland's renewable power capabilities. "This multi-billion pound investment project is a platform for national progress, combining energy, digital infrastructure and regional innovation to create tangible economic and social benefits for Scotland and for the wider UK economy." In addition to Ravenscraig, Apatura has four more AI-ready sites across Scotland's central belt, amassing a total grid connection of over 1.6GW.
