Why Businesses are Continuing to Invest Along the M40

From medical technology and electric motors to fresh produce and international distribution, recent investment highlights the range of businesses choosing the London to Birmingham M40 corridor.

The M40 continues to attract businesses looking for good access to customers and suppliers, a skilled workforce and the right premises to support their growth. Recent investment between 2024 and 2026 shows just how varied the businesses choosing the corridor are.

At Bicester, close to Junction 9, Siemens Healthineers is investing £250 million in a new manufacturing facility of around 600,000 sq ft. The plant is expected to open in 2026 and will provide more than 1,000 skilled jobs. It will manufacture superconducting magnets for MRI scanners, including technology designed to use significantly less helium.

Bicester has also attracted YASA, the Oxford University spin-out owned by Mercedes-Benz. Its new 90,000 sq ft headquarters at Bicester Motion was completed in 2025, with teams expected to move in during 2026. YASA develops advanced electric motors and its Oxfordshire workforce includes specialists in engineering, innovation, prototyping and operations.

The area's occupier base is not limited to technology and engineering. Dole, the international fresh produce business, has taken around 42,000 sq ft at Cabot Park in Bicester for a fruit-ripening facility. The unit provides a combination of warehouse and office space and adds food handling and distribution to the range of businesses operating in the area.

Other recent investment further demonstrates the strength of the wider corridor. The Menu has expanded its presence in Bicester, including a new 168,000 sq ft facility at Link 9, while British Bakels has taken a second 100,000 sq ft unit at the same scheme, developed by Albion Land.

In Banbury and Bicester, Fortescue has also expanded its Oxfordshire operations. The Australian technology company, which operates in the UK through its green technology and zero-emissions division Fortescue Zero, is involved in the research, development and testing of high-performance battery systems and zero-emission power technology.

Further north, Silverstone remains at the centre of the region's world-renowned motorsport and automotive technology cluster. Major names including Cadillac, McLaren, Lola, Aston Martin and Mercedes-AMG have research, development or production operations in the area.

These businesses are very different, but their investment highlights some of the reasons the M40 corridor continues to be attractive. The motorway provides a direct link between London, Oxfordshire and the Midlands, while locations such as Bicester, Banbury and Silverstone have developed strong clusters around engineering, technology, manufacturing, motorsport and logistics.

For commercial property, that diversity is important. The corridor is not reliant on one particular sector. It provides opportunities for businesses looking for anything from specialist R&D and manufacturing space to warehousing, distribution and larger industrial premises.

With continued investment in the Oxford-Cambridge corridor and established employment and business centres along the M40, the area looks well placed to continue attracting both new occupiers and businesses looking to expand.