Twenty Years After MG Rover Closed, Allsee Technologies Fires Up a Huge New Digital Signage Hub in Longbridge.

It’s been almost exactly two decades since the MG Rover car plant shut its doors in Longbridge, Birmingham. But this week, the site saw a very different kind of opening ceremony.

Allsee Technologies has officially unveiled its brand new 80,000 sq ft Innovation Centre — now one of the biggest digital signage hubs in Europe. The company has poured £20 million into the facility, which feels like a quiet vote of confidence in UK manufacturing during uncertain economic times.

The launch wasn’t a stuffy, ribbon-cutting affair. Employees brought their families. Suppliers, integration partners, academics and industry folks all showed up, giving the event the feel of a community gathering as much as a business milestone.

Officially opening the building were Simon Topman MBE (Deputy Lieutenant of the West Midlands, representing the King) and Laurence Turner, MP for Birmingham Northfield, alongside Allsee’s founder and managing director, Dr Baoli Zhao.

Dr Zhao spoke simply but pointedly:

“This Innovation Centre represents an important step forward for Allsee Technologies and for the digital signage industry more broadly. At a time of economic uncertainty, we remain focused on providing a stable, reliable, and forward-thinking manufacturing partnership for our customers globally. This investment reflects our long-term commitment to innovation, growth, and collaboration.”

The new site is part of Longbridge’s ongoing reinvention — from car production to a hub for tech, innovation and jobs. Inside, there are meeting spaces, training areas and event hosting facilities, meaning Allsee can now run technical workshops, sales training and partner-led events under one roof.

Perhaps the most eye-catching feature is the Experience Centre showroom, which opened for the first time during the ceremony. It lets visitors see Allsee’s digital signage in real-world settings — think retail, hospitality, fast-food chains and entertainment venues — rather than just on a spec sheet.

Twenty years after the car plant fell silent, Longbridge just got a lot louder again — but this time with screens, not engines.