WIREDGOV

Secretary of State for Wales Paul Murphy yesterday praised Airbus for its contribution to the Welsh economy during a visit to the company’s plant in Broughton.

Airbus’ Broughton site is responsible for assembling wings for the whole Airbus family of aircraft and employs 6,500 people in high-skilled jobs. The factory also manufactures and assembles fuselages and wings for Hawker Beechcraft jets.

Mr Murphy said: “The aerospace sector is now an important contributor to the Welsh economy, with an estimated annual turnover of around £3bn. Airbus is one of the companies making a real difference to this sector.

“It is a pleasure to see that since I last visited the plant as Secretary of State for Wales in 2002 the company has continued to expand. I would like to congratulate Senior Vice President Brian Fleet and his team on their continued hard work in ensuring that the plant goes from strength to strength.

“In May, Airbus announced they would be leading the Next Generation Composite Wing collaborative programme. This £103m investment will ensure that Broughton remains at the cutting edge of wing design and manufacturing and will secure high-skilled jobs in the area for the foreseeable future.”