Toyota 'optimism' praised

The company inspired confidence by switching its operation to Britain

Japanese car company Toyota has announced investment which will create work for over 300 in the Deeside area of north Wales.

The confirmation comes on the same day that steel giant Corus announced that 319 were to be axed at the nearby Shotton plant - part of nearly 3,000 jobs to go across Wales.

Welsh Assembly Minister for Economic Development Mike German praised the company for investing in Wales.

Mr German was at the plant in Flintshire on Thursday to see the new engine assembly line start rolling - just as the news of Corus axing thousands of jobs in Wales was being announced.

Speaking at the official ceremony, Mr German said the Japanese car company had shown "great confidence and commitment" to manufacturing in the UK.

Mike German - Toyota have "vision and foresight"

He said their investment in Deeside would send a clear and positive message to other manufacturers.

"The opening of the new engine assembly line in Deeside will increase engine production and bring 50 new jobs to the plant," he said.

"It is part of a £100m investment by Toyota which will lead to the creation of 310 skilled new jobs.

"This is a very welcome boost to the area and confirms Deeside's status as a significant manufacturing area in the UK.

"It is also a terrific vote of confidence in the Welsh workforce."

'Belief in workers'

Welsh Development Agency Chairman Sir David Rowe Beddoe said Toyota's confidence in the car and engine skills of its Welsh workforce was testament to its long-term commitment to manufacturing in the area.

"The car company is investing over £400m in its plant at Deeside and the start today of a new production line for its latest SZ engine underlines its belief in its workers and Wales," he said.

And Mr German, who is the assembly's deputy first minister, added: "The recent decision by Toyota to increase car production in the UK strikes a very welcome note of optimism in a week overshadowed by job losses in other sectors.

"I congratulate Toyota on having the vision and foresight to invest in Wales and wish them every success for the future here in Deeside."

New model

The company decided early in January that it would be switching production from Japan to its British plants in north Wales and Derbyshire.

It will now make its new model at sites in Derby and on Deeside in north Wales.

The news came as other car companies were finding Britain increasingly unattractive because of the rate of the pound against the Euro.

It is thought the move will bring more work to the plant on Deeside, which is in the process of doubling its workforce to 600.

Other car-makers such as Nissan, Honda and BMW have maintained that a high pound or low euro exchange rate makes exporting from Britain to the continent increasingly hard work.

Honda is struggling to make profits on its plant in Swindon; Nissan may move production from Sunderland to France; BMW sold Rover and Ford is increasingly producing on the Continent not Britain.