04.01.18
CAF moves forward on plans to build factory in Wales
Welsh officials have been updated on the progress of the building of a brand new factory by a Spanish construction company on one of Wales’ business parks.
Andrés Arizkorreta, chief executive of Spanish firm CAF recently met with Carwyn Jones, Welsh first minister, and Ken Skates, cabinet secretary for economy and transport, to update the government on the factory’s progress.
The Spanish firm confirmed last July that it would be building the state-of-the-art factory at the Celtic Business Park site in Newport, south Wales, which it says will create over 200 new jobs in the area.
Currently, the company has contracts to build around 300 trains and coaches for the UK market, including new Caledonian Sleeper, TransPennine Express, West Midlands Trains and Northern fleets.
CAF reportedly considered over 100 locations throughout the UK before choosing Celtic Business Park - a 100 acre industrial development on the site of the Llanwern steelworks, chosen for its road, rail and port links, as well as the availability of local engineering skills.
When it’s completed, the factory will be cover a 46,000 square-metre site, and will have the flexibility to build a range of different trains, including trams, suburban and inter-city metro trains and high speed trains.
Richard Garner, CAF’s UK director, said: “The factory will have the flexibility to allow us to respond to the exacting demands of both existing and new customers by providing the most complete offering of any rolling stock provider operating in the UK.”
The company plans to start recruiting workers for the factory this spring, including skilled technicians and engineers, management and support staff, and says it will be offering training and apprenticeship schemes from autumn.
It also reports that it plans to develop a “cluster” of local and national companies to supply components for its trains, which it says will boost the wider UK rail industry supply chain.
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