Ford announced last week that it has approved a £181 million investment for its South Wales Bridgend Engine Plant to build a family of new engines. Production on the new gasoline-powered engines is slated to get underway in 2018, and £181 million of the funds supporting the manufacturing process will be provided by the Welsh Government.
“Ford is a Welsh Anchor Company and the Bridgend Engine Plant plays a key role in the economy of South Wales. In a climate of stiff global competitiveness, we have been actively seeking to win a share of this investment for Wales and so we are delighted with today’s announcement,” said Welsh Economy Minister Edwina Hart.
“Ford’s decision to manufacture its new innovative engine here in Wales is a tribute to the reputation of the local management team and the quality and loyalty of the Welsh workforce and will safeguard more than 750 skilled Welsh jobs for many years,” Hart added.
The new family of engines has been developed by teams from the Ford Dunton Technical Centre in Essex; the Ford Technical Centre in Merkenich, Germany; and the Ford Research and Innovation Centre in Aachen, Germany.
Bridgend Engine Plant originally opened in May 1980 and currently houses 1,860 employees. Its product output in 2014 was 701,392 units.
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