Welsh Aerospace Industry
Wales is a centre of excellence for aerospace and in particular MRO related activities; over 180 companies employ in excess of 20,000 people. State-of-the-art facilities now manufacture, supply, maintain, repair and overhaul, civil and military aircraft from around the world. The aerospace sector in Wales is a dynamic growth industry that operates on best practice techniques, and is supported directly by Team Wales (Welsh Assembly Government and the Aerospace Wales Forum).
Names that are major forces within the civil and military aerospace industry are based in Wales:
Airbus - manages the production of Airbus aircraft, which takes place at the different sites in Europe including Broughton in North Wales. Manufacturing is a global, structured around key manufacturing units, each of which is responsible for producing a complete section of the aircraft for delivery to the final assembly lines. The extensive redevelopment of Airbus UK’s manufacturing facility in Broughton, Flintshire comprises of several buildings, which accommodate the equipment required to manufacture the wings for the A380 double deck super jumbo.
Babcock International Group - is a focused support services company working primarily with public sector institutions to supply effective, long-term solutions to support their core operations. The company is organised into four business Divisions in the United Kingdom with overseas operations in Africa and North America.
British Airways Maintenance Cardiff - the world's only licensed dual bay facility capable of maintaining and overhauling Boeing 747, 767 and 777 aircraft, based at Rhoose in the Vale of Glamorgan near to Cardiff Airport.
British Airways Avionics Engineering - serves world-wide airline customers such as - BA, Virgin, Airtours and Cathay Pacific. Although BAAE continues its close links with British Airways it is also assuming the role of an independent, commercial operation. They are based in South Wales close to Llantrisant.
British Airways Interiors - at Blackwood in Gwent is the largest part of their business consists of refurbishing passenger and flight crew seating. The company also repairs galleys, toilet modules and cabin-fittings, as well as internal fixtures, it repairs and re-covers aircraft sidewalls, manufactures floor panels and provides tailored cabin-carpeting kits.
Contour Premium Seating Ltd - Manufactures a range of business and first class seating, such as the newly launched "flying beds", supplying the majority of the world's major airlines. They are situated at Cwmbran in South Wales
Defence Support Group (DSG) - DSG Brings together under one organisation the merged ABRO and DARA business units. DSG Provides a flexible and responsive service that delivers cost competitive in-house maintenance, repair and overhaul and upgrade capability to support the air and land systems of the UK armed forces. They have two sites in Wales - the electronics business is based at Sealand in North Wales and the large aircraft business is at St Athan in South Wales.
GE Aviation - a multi-national company with a one million square foot operation at Nantgarw in South Wales. It is the largest engine maintenance centre in the world and it's still growing. It overhauls Rolls Royce, Pratt & Whitney and GE aircraft engines. It also overhauls and repairs the powerful twin engines of Boeing 777 aircraft.
General Dynamics UK Ltd - is part of General Dynamics Corporation, one of the top six defence companies world wide. Based in the USA, General Dynamics employs approximately 67,000 people worldwide. With headquarters in South East Wales, General Dynamics UK now occupies four locations in the United Kingdom and employs 1000 highly skilled staff producing world-class solutions in military communications, battlespace management, mission systems and information management applications for its customer base around the world.
NORDAM Ltd - their Welsh facility at Blackwood repairs and overhauls jet engine nacelle systems and engine components, including nose cowls, thrust reversers and turbine sleeves. NORDAM offers a complete service for everything that goes around the engine.
Hawker Beechcraft - is based at Hawarden Airport, Broughton and services executive jet aircraft. They have clients from Africa and the Middle East. Facilities are available on site for complex avionics instalments and major modifications. NDT (non-destructive testing) technology is used to assess the airframe and complete engine diagnostics can be undertaken, as well as engine condition trend monitoring and instrument calibration.
Raytheon Systems Ltd - also based at Broughton is responsible for the installation and check out of the mission system on the RAF's new ASTOR programme, the new airborne battlefield surveillance system.
Qioptiq - Specialises in the design, development and manufacture of modules and components for the military, aerospace, civil and industrial markets. It employs over 450 people, of whom a high percentage are qualified engineers and a number acknowledged world experts in their specialist area. They are situated in Denbighshire, N Wales.
