Jobs boost for aerospace plants

Rings and castings are among the products made at Blaenavon

A firm which makes parts for the aerospace and gas turbine industries has announced a £16m investment at its site in south Wales, creating 125 jobs.

Doncasters Group Ltd, which already employs 340 workers at Blaenavon, Torfaen will undertake work previously sub-contracted out.

The company said it had considered locating the new factory in Poland.

Meanwhile, another aerospace firm Saygrove has announced a £25m deal to help secure 70 jobs in Flintshire.

The company, based in Buckley, supplies key components to a number of international companies.

It says the £25m contract will ensure job security for its existing 70 employees for the next five years.

The announcement by the Doncasters Group was made at the Aerolink Wales 2008 event, which is showcasing the Welsh aerospace industry in Cardiff. Construction on purpose-built premises will begin in May.

This latest investment in the aerospace sector by this world-class company is a clear demonstration of the quality of the Welsh workforce Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones £25m contract for Saygrove

Doncasters already employs 340 people in Blaenavon, making components for many of the world's leading gas turbine engine makers.

Eric J Lewis, chief executive of Doncasters, said: "We have facilities around the world but are particularly proud of our south Wales facility at Blaenavon, which has become the group's forging centre of excellence."

The project, which is being supported by the Welsh Assembly Government, is in addition to a previous investment of £4m for the development of the company's engine-ready components strategy.

Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones said the development of the plant had made it an important local employer and a flagship for the engineering sector in Wales as a whole.

"The aerospace industry plays a vital role in the Welsh economy, with more than 180 companies employing over 25,000 people," he said.

"This latest investment in the aerospace sector by this world-class company is a clear demonstration of the quality of the Welsh workforce and the reputation of Wales as a place to do high quality and highly skilled business."