WSP to Design New Facilities for Rolls-Royce Submarine Site Expansion

(l-r) Oliver Curlett, Head of Defence & Security at WSP and Rolls-Royce Submarines Infrastructure Director Terry Meighan

(IN BRIEF) Rolls-Royce has chosen WSP as its design partner for the expansion of its Raynesway site in Derby. This expansion, announced last June, aims to meet the growing demand from the Royal Navy, particularly following the AUKUS announcement. WSP will design new manufacturing and office facilities, creating 1,170 skilled roles. Rolls-Royce’s Submarines Infrastructure Director, Terry Meighan, emphasized the importance of partnerships to meet increased demands, while Oliver Curlett, Head of Defence & Security at WSP, expressed pride in the collaboration. The next step is to select a construction partner, with Rolls-Royce Submarines currently supporting existing boat build programs and providing frontline support worldwide.

(PRESS RELEASE) LONDON, 18-Mar-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — Rolls-Royce (LSE:RR., ADR:RYCEY), the pre-eminent engineering company with focus on world-class power and propulsion systems, today announced the appointment of WSP, a renowned multi-disciplinary professional services consultancy, as its non-fissile design partner, marking a significant milestone in the expansion of its Raynesway site.

Following the announcement last June of Rolls-Royce’s plan to double the size of its Submarines site in Derby to meet the growing demand from the Royal Navy, particularly after the AUKUS announcement, the company is now poised to embark on this ambitious expansion project. The increase in demand will entail the construction of new manufacturing and office facilities, creating 1,170 skilled roles across various disciplines, including manufacturing and engineering. WSP will play a crucial role in designing these facilities and the associated infrastructure.

Terry Meighan, Infrastructure Director at Rolls-Royce Submarines, emphasized the importance of strong partnerships across the supply chain to meet the heightened demands resulting from AUKUS. He stated, “AUKUS won’t be delivered by one or two companies. It will take strong partnerships across the whole supply chain to meet the increased demands for the critical work we do. Selecting WSP as our design partner is the start of our journey to meeting the demands placed on us.

“Throughout the procurement process WSP stood out when demonstrating their technical capability, capacity and culture. Importantly, they also shared our vision and commitment to delivering our commitments to the MOD and the wider AUKUS agreement.”

Oliver Curlett, Head of Defence & Security at WSP, expressed pride in partnering with Rolls-Royce to design resilient and complex critical infrastructure. He highlighted WSP’s commitment to collaborative delivery and supporting Rolls-Royce’s infrastructure program in alignment with AUKUS and broader MOD strategic commitments.

“WSP is proud to be partnering with Rolls-Royce to design optimised, resilient and complex critical infrastructure which enables ongoing delivery of its world-leading capability to customers, both now and into the future.

“We are excited to bring our expertise to the team and are committed to ensuring collaborative delivery of Rolls-Royce’s infrastructure programme, in support of AUKUS and as a key part of wider MOD strategic commitments.”

The next step in Rolls-Royce’s expansion program is to select the non-fissile construction partner responsible for bringing WSP’s designs to fruition. This partner will be tasked with constructing the manufacturing and office facilities, along with the site infrastructure.

Rolls-Royce Submarines, which currently employs over 4,500 individuals, specializes in designing, manufacturing, and providing in-service support for pressurized water reactors powering every vessel in the Royal Navy’s submarine fleet.

WSP, with its global footprint and extensive expertise, is well-positioned to contribute to Rolls-Royce’s expansion plans. With 67,000 employees worldwide and over 9,000 professionals in its UK business, WSP brings a wealth of experience to the partnership.

Rolls-Royce remains dedicated to supporting existing boat build programs and providing frontline support across the globe, ensuring the reliability and efficiency of submarine fleets worldwide.