Welsh Aerospace Industry

Wales is a centre of excellence for aerospace and in particular MRO activities; over 180 aerospace companies employ in excess of 20,000 people. State-of-the-art facilities now manufacture, supply, maintain, repair and overhaul, civil and military aircraft from around the world. The aerospace sector in Wales is a dynamic growth industry that operates on best practice techniques, and is supported directly by Team Wales (Welsh Assembly Government and the Aerospace Wales Forum).

Names that are major forces within the civil and military aerospace industry are based in Wales:

Airbus - manages the production of Airbus aircraft, which takes place at the different sites in Europe including Airbus Broughton in North Wales. Manufacturing is a global, structured around key manufacturing units, each of which is responsible for producing a complete section of the aircraft for delivery to the final assembly lines. The extensive redevelopment of Airbus UK’s manufacturing facility in Broughton, Flintshire comprises of several buildings, which accommodate the equipment required to manufacture the wings for the A380 double deck super jumbo.

Babcock International Group - is a focused support services company working primarily with public sector institutions to supply effective, long-term solutions to support their core operations. The company is organised into four business Divisions in the United Kingdom with overseas operations in Africa and North America.

British Airways Maintenance Cardiff - the world's only licensed dual bay facility capable of maintenance and overhaul Boeing 747, 767 and 777 aircraft.

British Airways Avionics Engineering - serves world-wide airline customers such as - BA, Virgin, Airtours and Cathay Pacific. Although BAAE continues its close links with British Airways it is also assuming the role of an independent, commercial operation.

British Airways Interiors - The largest part of their business consists of aircraft passenger seat refurbishment and flight crew seating. The company also repairs aircraft galleys, toilet modules and aircraft cabin fittings, as well as internal fixtures, it repairs and re-covers aircraft sidewalls, manufactures floor panels and provides tailored cabin-carpeting kits.

Contour Premium Seating Ltd - Manufactures a range of business and first class seating, such as the newly launched "flying beds", supplying the majority of the world's major airlines.

GE Aviation - a multi-national company with a one million square foot operation in South Wales. It is the largest engine maintenance centre in the world and it's still growing. It overhauls Rolls Royce, Pratt & Whitney and GE aircraft engines. It also overhauls and repairs the powerful twin engines of Boeing 777 aircraft.

General Dynamics UK Ltd - is part of General Dynamics Corporation, one of the top six defence companies world wide. Based in the USA, General Dynamics employs approximately 67,000 people worldwide. With headquarters in South East Wales, General Dynamics UK now occupies four locations in the United Kingdom and employs 1000 highly skilled staff producing world-class solutions in military communications, battlespace management, mission systems and information management applications for its customer base around the world.

NORDAM Europe Ltd - their Welsh facility for repair and overhaul jet engine nacelle systems and engine components, including nose cowls, thrust reversers and turbine sleeves. NORDAM offers a complete service for everything that goes around the engine.

Hawker Beechcraft - is based at Broughton and services executive jet aircraft. They have clients from Africa and the Middle East. Facilities are available on site for complex avionics installations and major modifications. NDT (non-destructive testing) technology is used to assess the airframe and complete aero engine diagnostics can be undertaken, as well as engine condition trend monitoring and instrument calibration.

Raytheon Systems Ltd - also based at Broughton is responsible for the installation and check out of the mission system on the RAF's new ASTOR programme, the new airborne battlefield surveillance system.

Qioptiq - Specialises in the design, development and manufacture of modules and components for the military, aerospace, civil and industrial markets. It employs over 450 people, of whom a high percentage are qualified engineers and a number acknowledged world experts in their specialist area.

Wales and Airbus aircraft

Press Release about Wales and the Airbus A380

First Minister, Rhodri Morgan, has welcomed news of the Airbus A380’s European commercial debut.

The super-jumbo – whose wings are made in Broughton in North Wales and Filton in Bristol – has just landed at London Heathrow from Singapore.

Airbus says the A380, which is carrying 470 passengers on its first revenue-earning service, burns 17 per cent less fuel per seat than the previous largest airliner.

“We take great pride in the extraordinary skills and achievements of the 7000-strong Airbus workforce in Flintshire, whose prowess we celebrate today.” said Mr Morgan. "Airbus is one of the largest private sector employers in Wales and its apprentice training set up and award winning graduate training schemes play a huge role in making the Broughton complex the world’s leading manufacturing centre of large civil aircraft wings. It also makes a massive contribution to the Welsh economy and the Welsh skill base."

"This first commercial European flight marks another milestone in Airbus success story – and a first-class international demonstration of the excellence of Welsh manufacturing skills and technology.”

"This successful touchdown follows the awarding of a multibillion pound US Air Force tanker contract to Airbus earlier this month and I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate everyone at Broughton, and across the Airbus Group, as we celebrate the important European debut of the Airbus A380."

Airbus News

Victory in the bidding for US Air Force Tanker contract spells an orders bonanza for European suppliers

Europe’s aerospace industry will be one of the main beneficiaries of EADS’s stunning victory.

Although the company and its US partner, Northrop Grumman, have stressed that 60 per cent of the aircraft will be made in America, existing suppliers on the A330-200 will receive increased orders.

EADS plants in France, Spain and Germany will also benefit, according to analysts. The horizontal tail planes of the A330 family are built in Spain.

British aerospace companies, in particular, stand to win. It is the UK’s second-largest defence export this decade (after the deal to sell Eurofighter Typhoons to Saudi Arabia) and will deliver an estimated £3bn. British factories will build all wings for the A330-200; the wings are assembled at Broughton; big sub-assemblies are at Filton, now owned by GKN.

Other UK suppliers that stand to benefit include Messier-Dowty and Magellan. Cobham will produce equipment to transfer fuel between planes. Allan Cook, chief executive, said the contract would be worth $1bn in sales over the life of the programme.

“It gives the transatlantic alliance a significant industrial boost and will secure British jobs for many years to come,” said Robin Southwell, chief executive of EADS

Aerospace Wales Contact Information

John Whalley

Executive Director

Tel: 01656 655210

Fax: 01656 655217

Mobile: 07903 113951

Email: john.whalley@aerospacewalesforum.co.uk

Paul Lindsay

Operations Director

Tel: 01656 655210

Fax: 01656 655217

Mobile: 07810 056895

Email: paul.lindsay@aerospacewalesforum.co.uk

Gill Schneider

PA Administrator

Tel: 01656 655210

Fax: 01656 655217

Email: gill.schneider@aerospacewalesforum.co.uk

Aerospace Wales Forum Ltd

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