Aston Martin to build second manufacturing plant in Wales

Iconic British car maker Aston Martin said it will create up to 4,000 jobs in the UK as it announced plans to build a second manufacturing facility in St Athan, Wales.

The St Athan plant in Glamorgan will handle production of the company’s new crossover vehicle, while its range of next-generation sports cars will be produced at its existing facility in Gaydon, Warwickshire.

Aston Martin expects up to 1,000 new jobs will be created across St Athan and Gaydon between now and 2020, while a further 3,000 jobs across the supply chain and local businesses will likely be created as a direct result of these investments.

The new plant at St Athan, which occupies around 90 acres, will re-purpose some of the facilities currently in use at the site by the Ministry of Defence, with construction work planned to begin in 2017 and full vehicle production in 2020.

Chief executive officer Dr. Andrew Palmer said: “Through a detailed evaluation of over 20 potential global locations for this new manufacturing facility, we were consistently impressed with the focus on quality, cost and speed from the Welsh Government team.”

Prime Minister David Cameron said Aston Martin’s decision to invest in the UK showed “real confidence in our economy”.

“With our economic strengths and easy access to European markets, the UK automotive sector is thriving. It is one of the biggest in Europe – and the most productive – and Aston’s creation of up to 1,000 new jobs in Wales and the West Midlands is welcome news,” he said.