Wales economy and infrastructure Secretary, Ken Skates, visited Ford Bridgend Plant yesterday to see the preparatory work underway for the 2018 production of the new Dragon Engine, safeguarding around 550 jobs.
While at the site, the Economy Secretary met management, workers and trade unions and discussed the opportunities and challenges facing the industry in the years ahead.
Speaking after the visit, Ken Skates said said,“It was good to visit the Ford Engine Plant in Bridgend and see the progress being made in preparing for the new Dragon engine production.
“Welsh Government support has helped bring this exciting project to the plant and it was great to see the precision manufacturing and world class skills that go into its development.”
Electrification and the move to innovative battery technology means there is a need to secure new products for the plant to manufacture at the site from 2020.
“I made clear that the Welsh Government will do everything in it’s power to work in social partnership and meet those challenges head on in order to secure a sustainable future for the Bridgend Engine Plant that can keep jobs and production in the community.”
The Welsh Government supported Ford Bridgend in winning a share of the global Dragon Engine production with a £14.6m grant offer, to safeguard a predicted 772 jobs on the site, which currently employs almost 2,000 people.
The facility will initially be producing 125k engines annually, half the initial planned, but has capacity to add further lines to increase production and jobs created in the future.