While our relocation specialists work hard to make sure your Cheshire relocation runs quickly and smoothly, one automotive brand in the region is getting from A to B even faster.

Briggs Automotive Company (BAC), based in Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, unveiled the Mono last year – the world’s first single-seater, road-legal production car.

The distinctive vehicle is eye-catching enough on the track, let alone on public roads, and staked its place in racing history at the recent Cholmondeley Pageant of Power.

Scoring the fastest time in the Supercar class, the Mono ranked second-fastest of all the vehicles at the event, behind only a supercharged, non-roadgoing Caterham SP/300.R, a prototype model from a brand you may have seen competing on the Formula 1 Grand Prix tour.

“Our car was shod with street-legal Kumho V70A tyres and driven to and from the meeting under its own power, making the result even more impressive,” says BAC director Neill Briggs.

The achievement is not only impressive in its own right; it also shows why a Cheshire relocation is an excellent idea for engineering and automotive brands, with a considerable local talent pool from which to draw expert employees.

Growth in Cheshire’s automobile industry makes this a fine time for corporate relocation into the area, as the UK sector as a whole aims for all-time high output.

In Cheshire alone, recent announcements of expansion have included 700 new jobs at Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port facility, where the company has confirmed it will continue manufacturing with £125 million of investment.

Full-capacity output at the plant, with three shifts working on the Astra, is being bolstered by a 25% increase in local supply content for the model.

The Astra is just one of the UK’s significant volume-manufactured car models, with six further brands adding substantial value to the country’s automotive industry alongside Vauxhall.

Paul Everitt, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, says the UK has seen “unprecedented” investment in recent years.

“Our engineering expertise, workforce flexibility and renowned motoring heritage, combined with top-level collaboration between industry and government, makes the UK an important location for the global automotive industry,” he adds.

With several eurozone nations currently facing financial difficulties, it could be a particularly good time for companies to undertake corporate relocation schemes, and enter or expand in the UK market at a time of all-time strong performance.

Should the industry achieve its current forecasts, it will reach record levels of production before the end of 2015, potentially breaking the two-million-vehicle threshold and surpassing its peak performance from the early 1970s.

This July marks 175 years since Crewe became a major centre for employee relocation in Cheshire, thanks to the first trains that brought passengers and industrial opportunities into the region.

Bentley Motors has made Crewe its home since 1946, and is celebrating the 175th anniversary of the first train through Crewe by offering three lump sums to local charities.

The deserving causes are to be chosen from those nominated by Bentley’s associates, with £5,000, £3,000 and £2,000 to be awarded to those selected.

Christine Gaskell, member of the board for personnel at Bentley Motors, says: “As one of the biggest employers in the area, we wanted to mark the celebrations in a meaningful way that involved our employees and the local community.”

Bentley itself shows the value of employee relocation into the Cheshire region, with a thriving workforce of 4,000 people employed in the area.

The company is inviting nominations for worthy causes from its workforce until the end of June, and will announce the successful charities in August, following the anniversary of Crewe’s first passenger train during July.

For many people – both in the UK and overseas – deciding to make a Cheshire relocation depends on the availability of appropriate relocation services at the outset, and the right amenities and facilities for the long term.

In the case of employee relocation in particular, it may be preferable to know where a company car can be repaired – and Cheshire is the ideal location for this.

Motor Codes, an organisation that operates codes of practice for the motoring industry, has published the results of its latest survey of the most trusted mechanics’ garages in the UK.

Among the small business category’s contenders, it was ABP Motorsport in Shavington, Cheshire, that came out on top.

Owner Chris Meredith says: “We treat each and every customer as a ‘mystery shopper’, making sure that everybody who comes through the door experiences the sort of service that we’d expect to receive ourselves.”

The approach is excellent news for companies planning employee relocation to the Shavington area, as it could take one of the concerns out of a Cheshire relocation.

Specialist relocation services can help to deal with any other short-term issues, in order to make your corporate relocation run as smoothly as possible.

The long weekend ahead is likely to prove a welcoming time for expat relocation into the Cheshire region, with several events planned to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Street parties will be taking place across the county, allowing newcomers to the area to sit down for an informal meal with their neighbours as part of the Big Jubilee Lunch.

Councils have waived the usual fees associated with closing roads for street parties, meaning even more celebrations can be held than might otherwise be possible.

And a series of beacons will be lit that span not just Cheshire, but the whole country.

In Cheshire West and Chester, residents are being invited to add a beacon of their own to the list, either on a prominent building, or simply by hosting a bonfire on high ground.

Meanwhile, over in Cheshire East, six beacons will be lit by the authority itself among the network of thousands linking communities nationwide.

It’s a perfect time for expat relocation, with plenty of one-off activities taking place, but some of the changes – such as making it easier to host street parties – should also remain in place for the future, making it even easier for newcomers to get to know their neighbours.

A newly proposed road network linking to the M6 in the Crewe area could make Cheshire relocation even easier than it already is.

The region is already popular for corporate relocation, thanks to its excellent transportation networks – including motorways, rail and air freight.

However, the new proposals aim to provide effective and reliable access to Basford West, south of Crewe, where developer Goodman has already secured approval for a logistics and employment hub.

With new jobs and facilities due to be created as the site is developed, the Highways Agency is now considering an extension to the local road network.

This would widen slip roads at the M6 Junction 16, widen the roundabout at the junction and install traffic lights to help with managing vehicle flow.

All of this should help to ensure that logistics operators can carry goods in and out of the area without disruption, but can also help with Cheshire relocation into the region for those with possessions to transport.

“Basford West is a key investment site in Crewe that will eventually deliver jobs for the town as part of the council’s All Change for Crewe programme,” says Cheshire East Council’s cabinet member for prosperity and economic regeneration, Jamie Macrae.

Several major contract wins from multinational companies are likely to boost employee relocation into the Cheshire region, as well as creating new jobs for local residents.

The most recent high-profile announcement relates to the manufacture of the Vauxhall Astra, which has been confirmed as remaining at the Ellesmere Port plant for the years to come.

Around 700 jobs are associated with this announcement alone – and it’s one of several bringing jobs into the region.

In addition to a new Marks and Spencer superstore and a new location for outdoor clothing and leisure specialist Regatta, Jaguar Land Rover has outlined plans for a new logistics centre in the area.

The projects combine to add a further 800 roles to the local workforce, both for existing residents and to serve those undertaking employee relocation in Cheshire.

Mike Jones, Cheshire West and Chester Council leader, called the Ellesmere Port news “absolutely wonderful … and a great tribute to the workforce that has both led Europe with its efficiency levels, and also embraced new working practices to bring success”.

International moving can be a daunting proposition, but the efforts of Cheshire West and Chester Council are helping to make sure there are more properties available for home relocation in Cheshire, both for UK residents and for those coming into the country for the first time.

Since 2009, a total of 264 abandoned and empty homes have been subject to compulsory purchase orders, allowing the council to sell them on so that they can be used and brought up to a good standard of repair.

“We are sending out a clear message that wasting housing resources will not be tolerated when the demand for homes is at an all-time high,” says Councillor Herbert Manley, executive member for prosperity.

The move is not only about making sure residential properties are occupied – it is also about keeping housing standards high in the county’s communities.

Without intervention, some of those empty homes can become vandalised, so the effort from Cheshire West and Chester Council also makes sure crime levels are kept under control.

All of this makes the area much more appealing for home relocation – something our relocation specialists can help you to investigate if you are looking into international moving in Cheshire.

We recently reported on the knock-on benefits new superfast broadband could have on employee relocation to Cheshire, but a new study reinforces the positive claims for corporate relocation to Cheshire and its surrounding area.

Analysis carried out for BT has put a figure on the economic boost of having internet connections at up to 20Mbps for towns across Cheshire.

The findings could make corporate relocation to Cheshire sound more compelling than ever, as the rollout of superfast broadband is predicted to add £143 million to the economy of a typical town in the area.

Each town assessed in the report is expected to gain an average of 140 new small businesses and 225 new jobs.

In Cheshire’s cities, meanwhile, the figures are even higher, at 320 new businesses, 430 jobs and a total economic boost of £296 million.

For companies considering employee relocation to Cheshire, the figures are a clear demonstration of the existing and future possibilities of the region.

And while many of the new businesses are predicted to be created within the region itself, there’s no reason why existing big firms shouldn’t capitalise on the opportunities by relocating a team of employees to the area and opening a new office or branch.

Cheshire as a whole is a popular destination for home relocation, both for affluent UK residents and for international moving.

However, newly published crime figures make West Cheshire a particularly good choice for home relocation, with dramatic drops in a number of different kinds of offence.

Antisocial behaviour in the area fell by 11% in the latest British Crime Survey, compared with 2010-11 figures, which anyone considering international moving into the region will welcome.

In Chester city centre, assaults dropped by a huge 21% over the same period as part of a region-wide fall in violent crimes.

Overall, throughout Cheshire West and Chester, and Vale Royal, crime fell by an impressive 7% over the course of the year.

With a historically low number of burglary investigations, the report is good news for residents, but also for businesses planning a corporate relocation or employee relocation into the area.

“Reducing acquisitive crime remains one of our main priorities and, although today’s figures are encouraging, we are not complacent and will continue to build on our success to protect the residents, businesses and visitors of West Cheshire,” says Western area police commander Chief Superintendent Phil Jones.