Nova Motorsport has issued an update on the €20m (US$21.7m) transformation of the Camac tire factory in Portugal, recently acquired by the brand, to create a new European center of manufacturing excellence.
The state-of-the-art facility will enable Nova Motorsport to resume production of Avon Motorsport tires, enhance the quality and capability of the existing Camac tire range and develop new motorsport, specialist and bespoke tires for the future.
More than 200 trucks have transferred the Avon factory in Melksham in the UK to Palmeira in Portugal. The scale of the investment and extent of the refurbishment will enhance the quality and capability of the existing Camac facility.
The operation is part of Nova Motorsport’s strategic commitment to premium competition and specialist tires – paving the way for the production of cutting-edge Avon Motorsport tires after Nova acquired the brand.
Following the acquisition of Camac in May, Nova Motorsport immediately broke ground on a significant extension to the factory footprint to facilitate the incoming Avon Motorsport assets and equipment from the UK. This first phase is already near completion, along with additional enhancements, including improvements to services and site infrastructure, refurbishment of existing equipment, and a complete overhaul of office spaces to ensure full integration of the Camac and Nova Motorsport teams.
“The hard work and rapid advancements made by the Nova Motorsport and Camac teams bear testament to our determination to establish a world-leading center of tire manufacturing excellence in Europe, supported by our Global Technical Centre and HQ in Holt, England,” said James Weekley, Nova Motorsport commercial director. “However, this is only the beginning of the Nova Motorsport journey. Our next goal is to produce the first Avon Motorsport products in Portugal, marking a new chapter in our commitment to delivering high-performance tires for the motorsport industry, and we remain firmly on track to achieve that.”
Nova Motorsport has initiated an extensive recruitment campaign for manufacturing, engineering, technical and commercial roles to bolster the Nova Motorsport and Camac teams. The Nova Motorsport team, comprised of numerous former key Avon Motorsport personnel, brings a combined 942 years of experience in tire development, testing, manufacturing, marketing and customer support.
“The creation of Nova Motorsport’s new European center of tire manufacturing excellence represents a crucial strategic step for the imminent resumption of production of legendary Avon Motorsport tire products,” said Mike Lynch, chief technical officer at Nova Motorsport. “Integrating Nova Motorsport’s engineering and design resources into the Camac facility has significantly enhanced the site’s manufacturing capabilities. The upgraded labs and NDT [non-destructive testing] facilities will elevate product quality and performance, significantly benefiting both Avon Motorsport and existing Camac products.”
