| During World War II in the middle of the 20th | | | | people, manufacturing and engineering networking |
| century Coventry had the dubious honour of being | | | | and switching gear for international |
| the UKs third most bombed city after London and | | | | telecommunications clients. Another international |
| Plymouth. The reason that Coventry was so heavily | | | | telecommunications company - Cable and Wireless - |
| targeted during the war was its industrial base in | | | | has its UK training centre in the business park at |
| munitions and military vehicle production. Sadly, as | | | | Warwick University, on the outskirts of the |
| with so many other UK cities, that industrial | | | | Coventry. The headquarters for Dunlop Aerospace |
| production base has virtually disappeared leaving only | | | | are located in Coventry to the north of the city near |
| a few truly industrial scale companies operating in the | | | | the M6 junction 3 at Longford. Where it not only |
| city. Having played an important role in the UK motor | | | | manufactures aerospace braking systems but also |
| industry for many decades with such illustrious names | | | | designs and markets them. It currently has contracts |
| as: Hillman, Standard, Rolls Royce and Triumph - cars, | | | | for braking systems to BAE, Lockheed-Martin and |
| motor-bikes and pedal cycles. Coventry now only | | | | the Airbus A380 aeroplanes. |
| produces vehicles for niche markets following the | | | | Along with many other cities that have seen their |
| recent closure of the French owned Peugeot car | | | | manufacturing base eroded over recent years, |
| production plant at Ryton. Coventry city council is | | | | Coventry has attracted some service industries to |
| currently securing inward investment to attract new | | | | the area to provide alternative jobs. Being very close |
| businesses to replace those that have disappeared or | | | | to the centre of England and having excellent |
| are in decline. | | | | motorway links to the rest of the country, Coventry |
| Car production does continue in Coventry, although | | | | has become a major distribution centre for many |
| for how long is a matter of much speculation. | | | | delivery and courier companies. Parcel Force has its |
| Although currently owned by the Ford Motor | | | | national depot at Coventry whilst TNT, DHL, ANC |
| Company, Jaguar has its corporate headquarters in a | | | | and UPS all have depots in the city employing several |
| production facility at its Browns Lane site in Allesley. | | | | hundred people in all. |
| Since opening in 1941 it has become the main veneer | | | | Coventry has a long association with the textiles |
| production plant for Jaguar cars, as well as having its | | | | industry, particularly wool and silk, dating back to |
| head offices and heritage centre. At nearby Whitley | | | | medieval times. Whilst several small textiles |
| is the Jaguar Design, Research & Development | | | | companies remain in Coventry it is currently best |
| Centre, where all the companies engineering work is | | | | known for its Courtaulds factory and the |
| carried out. In total, Jaguar employs over 2500 | | | | development the Grafil carbon-fibre that is used in |
| people in the city. Ford Motor Company is currently | | | | sports and automotive equipment and Tencel - the |
| trying to sell off Jaguar, in order to clear other | | | | cellulose fibre made from wood-pulp. |
| company debts. One of the most familiar sites in all | | | | As well as the textiles industry, Coventry was, up to |
| major UK towns and cities is the famous black cab or | | | | the mid 19th century, the centre of watch-making in |
| Hackney taxis. These are made by the LTI company | | | | the UK. During its heyday in the early 1800s it |
| who are based at Holyhead Road in Coventry. LTI | | | | employed over 75,000 people and was making |
| have been making taxis for sixty years, in which time | | | | 200,000 watches a year. As the century progressed |
| over 100,000 have rolled off their production line. LTI | | | | watch making declined, the market becoming flooded |
| employs nearly 500 people at its production plant, | | | | with imports from the USA, until by the turn of the |
| making it a significant employer in the city. Formed by | | | | century the trade had all but ceased. Many workers |
| the amalgamation of two companies and now owned | | | | went on to find employment in the rapidly developing |
| by AGCO, Massey-Ferguson is one of the best | | | | bicycle manufacturing businesses, which at his time |
| known manufacturers of farm tractors in the world. | | | | employed nearly 40,000 people in Coventry alone. In |
| They began making tractors in Coventry in the early | | | | time some of these workers quite probably went on |
| 1950s and now have their headquarters in Stoneleigh, | | | | to become the founding workers in the new motor |
| near Kenilworth. The company now makes tractors | | | | car industry. By 1910 there were dozens of car |
| and a range of combine harvesters and quad bikes. | | | | manufacturers in Coventry, with long forgotten |
| Ericssons is a telecommunications company with | | | | names like: Iden, Centaur and Aurora. Some other |
| premises in the New Century Park, not far from the | | | | companies were more enduring such as: Humber, |
| city centre. Having subsumed the former Marconi and | | | | Rover and from 1928 - Jaguar. |
| GPT works in the city, it now employs over 2000 | | | | |