Somerset is undergoing one of the most significant industrial transformations in its modern history. At the heart of it is the new £4bn Agratas battery gigafactory, currently under construction at the Gravity Enterprise Zone between Puriton and Woolavington. Once operational, the site is expected to employ up to 4,000 people and become one of the largest EV battery manufacturing facilities in Europe.
Alongside the factory itself, plans are now emerging for a 500‑bed workforce accommodation campus near Stretcholt, designed to support the first major phase of operations and reduce pressure on local housing. Together, these developments signal not just a new chapter for the regional economy, but a step change in the scale and complexity of manufacturing infrastructure in the South West.
For businesses operating in and around Bridgwater, this shift brings both opportunity and new technical demands.
A New Industrial Hub for Advanced Manufacturing
The Gravity Enterprise Zone is rapidly positioning itself as a strategic centre for advanced manufacturing, clean energy and automotive supply chains.
With significant government backing and long‑term investment, the Agratas facility will play a central role in supporting the UK’s electric vehicle production capacity. Projects of this scale rely on tightly controlled systems for:
- Equipment tracking
- Tool and calibration management
- Production line identification
- Health and safety compliance
- Quality control and traceability
These systems are only as reliable as the physical identification methods that support them.
From asset tags on machinery to barcode and QR labels on tooling, containers and infrastructure, durable identification is a small detail that underpins the entire operation.
Why This Matters to Custom Labels Ltd
As a manufacturer located less than two miles from the Gravity site, this development is especially relevant to us at Custom Labels Ltd.
We have more than 25 years’ experience designing and producing high‑performance asset labels and tags for industrial, automotive and infrastructure environments across the UK and Europe.
Most notably, we have supplied durable asset tagging solutions to Jaguar Land Rover production facilities in both the UK and Slovakia, supporting complex, high‑throughput manufacturing operations where reliability and consistency are non‑negotiable.
In those projects, we supplied our UltraTuff asset tags — a solution engineered specifically for demanding industrial settings.
UltraTuff Asset Tags for Harsh Production Environments
Our UltraTuff tags are designed for facilities where labels are exposed to frequent handling, chemicals, abrasion and long service cycles.
Typical features include:
- Full‑colour branding with accurate colour matching
- Integrated QR codes or barcodes for fast scanning and digital tracking
- Scratch‑resistant protective laminate
- High‑bond adhesive systems for secure long‑term attachment
- Resistance to oils, solvents and cleaning chemicals
These properties make UltraTuff and our Ultimate Asset Tag range particularly suitable for applications such as:
- Production line equipment
- Battery manufacturing machinery
- Material handling systems
- Test rigs and calibration assets
- Electrical cabinets and control panels
As gigafactory operations scale up, thousands of assets must be tracked, maintained and audited throughout their lifecycle. Durable, scannable identification becomes a core operational requirement, not an afterthought.
Supporting the Local Supply Chain
Large manufacturing projects rarely operate in isolation.
They depend on a network of regional suppliers providing specialist components, services and infrastructure support — from construction and logistics to software, maintenance and identification systems.
With the proposed workforce campus accommodating up to 500 staff during phase one alone, the wider Bridgwater area is set to experience increased commercial activity and long‑term employment growth.
For local manufacturers, this represents an opportunity to contribute to a nationally significant project while strengthening the resilience of the regional supply chain.
At Custom Labels Ltd, we already support clients across:
- Automotive manufacturing
- Energy and utilities
- Defence and aerospace
- Medical devices
- Education and public sector
The technical requirements of EV battery production align closely with the environments we design for every day.
Preparing for the Next Generation of UK Manufacturing
The Agratas gigafactory is more than a construction project. It represents the direction UK manufacturing is moving:
- Highly automated
- Data‑driven
- Digitally tracked
- Built for long operational lifespans
In this context, asset identification plays a quiet but critical role. When labels fail, systems slow down. When barcodes degrade, records become unreliable. When tags detach, compliance becomes harder to prove.
Our focus has always been on eliminating those weak points through material science, print technology and rigorous quality control — producing labels that last as long as the equipment they identify.
Looking Ahead
As development continues at the Gravity site and surrounding infrastructure expands, we look forward to the opportunities this project will create for Somerset’s manufacturing community.
Whether supporting large‑scale production facilities, subcontractors, or local engineering firms working within the supply chain, we remain ready to provide robust, tailored labelling solutions built for real‑world industrial use.
If you are involved in manufacturing, construction or facilities management connected to the Agratas project and would like to discuss durable asset identification, our team is always happy to help.
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