What's all this about?
Aston Martin has officially taken over the former Ministry of Defence St Athan site in South Wales, which will become the company's second UK manufacturing plant. The Welsh factory will build the new Aston Martin DBX SUV, with production scheduled to start in 2019. Secretary of State for Defence, Sir Michael Fallon, formally handed over the site at a ceremony yesterday (6th April).
Work on the factory started in 2016 when Aston Martin first gained access to the site. The first areas to be created were the customer and staff receptions, offices and the employee restaurant. The ceremony marked the commencement of Phase II, which will see the three super hangers converted into a production facility.
The new plant will be a major source of employment for the local area. Over 3,000 people attended a recruitment event in Wales last year and the first technicians are now working on the DB11 at Aston's Gaydon factory in training for their roles at St Athan. Around 1,000 new jobs will be created across both of the company's UK sites by the year 2020. A further benefit is the estimated 3,000 jobs that are likely to be created across the supply chain and in local businesses.
Sir Michael Fallon commented: "This investment is great news for Wales. Aston Martin's decision to build a new facility on MOD land we no longer need will also bring high skilled jobs to Wales. Releasing this site, and others, will enable us to invest in a better defence estate for the Armed Forces and their families."
Secretary of State for Wales, Alun Cairns, noted that the St Athan site would be a significant centre of employment for the region and demonstrates the Government's commitment to attracting business investment.
John Lambert - 7 Apr 2017