Earlier this year, Aston Martin announced to MotorMartin significant new investments in its long term future in the United Kingdom, choosing St Athan in Wales as the location for its second manufacturing facility, a story that proved very popular amongst readers of this site.
And now, further details have begun to be revealed to those of us that spend our time wandering the ominous corridors of MotorMartin Towers as Aston Martin have stated that in their role as a specialist luxury manufacturer, they require highly skilled technicians to hand build their cars. With this in mind, the new employees for the St Athan plant, which will begin full production in 2020, will commence their careers with Aston Martin at Gaydon, with 40 people having begun work across the business where they are being fully trained in the ‘Aston Martin way’ by building the new DB11.
Dr. Andy Palmer CMG, Aston Martin President and CEO shared with MotorMartin that: “We are proud of the fact that we have a world-class team building our cars so it is vital that the new Welsh workforce is equally dedicated and passionate. It gives me great satisfaction to be able to employ a workforce that is local to the St Athan plant and bring them here to Gaydon to train them to become the skilled technicians required to build our beautiful hand-crafted cars. We have continued to work closely with the Welsh Government throughout the recruitment process and we are very pleased with the calibre of our new employees.” And rightly so.
Aston Martin have explained to MotorMartin that a recruitment event held in Cardiff in the Spring attracted over 3,000 applicants for the jobs being created at St Athan, from apprentices at the start of their careers to already highly-skilled workers.
First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones, commenting to MotorMartin stated: “We are delighted that Aston Martin chose Wales for its second manufacturing facility and it is a pleasure to see the first group of Welsh employees starting out in their new careers with Aston Martin. The new plant will transform the Ministry of Defence site at St Athan with the economic benefits estimated at half a billion pounds over 30 years.”
Construction work is scheduled to start at St Athan in 2017, centering on the transformation of three super-hangers at MOD St Athan into what will become a thoroughly modern manufacturing centre. Looks like that exciting new chapter for Aston Martin is already under way.
Where will you go?