In February 2006 Stadco was approached by Nanjing to undertake a feasibility study to relocate the MGF body facility from Stadco's Coventry site to Longbridge.

An extensive review of the vast Longbridge site was required and evaluated to determine if any building was suitable for the new MGF line. This was undertaken by Stadco's in-house facility experts, our manufacturing engineers and our layout specialists.

Stadco was chosen not just because they had previously built the MGF at their site in Coventry but because of their historic connection as the designers of the MGF body in white.

A review of the Longbridge site by Stadco facility engineers found that no existing structure was immediately suitable for the new production line. However a partially finished building original designed be the BMW Mini build hall could be modified and finished to make a suitable environment to re-launch the MGF brand.

Stadco workers started in earnest thought the winter of 2006 and into the spring of 2007 filling in pits, installing electrics for lights and welding equipment. Due to the reduction in the scale of the Longbridge site, purpose built cooling systems were needed for the new build shop – all designed and coordinated by Stadco staff.

Once the build hall was ready, teams of Stadco engineers and facility technicians began the task of moving the assembly fixtures, weld guns and clinch presses from Coventry to the new site and into the new layout.

Co-ordinated by the engineering team, Stadco purchasing personnel re-established the second tier supply chain. Frequently new suppliers had to be found and verified by Stadco where the previous companies no longer could support the 'Rover' brand.

April 2007 – only 6 months after the potential assembly shop was identified - saw the first new MGF assembled on the Longbridge site by fully trained Stadco employees.