The global boss of an international defence firm which has a base in Oakdale has met with Wales’ First Minister Carwyn Jones and Economy Minister Edwina Hart to discuss the company’s expansion plans.
Phebe Novakovic, CEO and Chairman of General Dynamics, met with the Welsh Government in Cardiff Bay to discuss the company’s continued investment in Wales.
In 2014 General Dynamics UK, the UK arm of the firm, was awarded a £3.5 billion contract to deliver 589 SCOUT Specialist vehicles (recently renamed AJAX) to the British Army.
The company is due to undertake the assembly, integration and testing for the new vehicles at a new site in Merthyr Tydfil – with the creation of 250 new jobs.
The First Minister said: “The Welsh Government has worked closely with General Dynamics UK since it first moved to Wales in 2001. We have recently worked with the company to secure these new jobs for Wales and so I was pleased to be able to discuss the company’s continued commitment and investment in Wales with its global CEO Phebe Novakovic.
“I am delighted that the company is opening a new facility in South Wales, which will be its third facility in Wales and will grow its Welsh workforce to more than 750.
“As well as employing qualified personnel, General Dynamics UK invests in apprentices and graduates. This not only offers a superb training opportunity for young people to gain qualifications but will also provide them with invaluable experience of working with a global leader working in a highly specialised field.”
Phebe Novakovic, Chairman and CEO of General Dynamics, said: “General Dynamics is continuing our investment in Wales, including new manufacturing jobs in addition to our existing workforce in Oakdale. As an anchor company, we have a very strong relationship with the Welsh government, with whom we engage regularly, including today’s meeting. Their support helps ensure we meet the needs of our customers from right here in the heart of the Welsh Valleys.”
Economy Minister Edwina Hart said General Dynamics UK has invested heavily at its sites in Wales since and has continued to have the support of the Welsh Government.
She said: “As a Welsh Government anchor company, General Dynamics makes a significant contribution to the Welsh economy and its on-going investment certainly helps to raise the profile of Wales globally as a superb location for international companies to grow their business.”
In July this year, the quality of engineering at General Dynamics UK was praised by HRH Prince Charles when he visited the firm’s Oakdale base.
The First Minister belonging to a party who has a pacifist for a leader is holding talks with a defence firm, that makes weapons, about investing in Wales. Is it me, or does this not go?
However, if the UK spent a reasonable amount on defence (I suggest £60bn), the country can become the most powerful military force in Europe, achieving regional hegemony, and can attract more defence firms who will find it profitable to invest in Britain.
Edwina Hart = idiot. I would like to see Britain’s military spending increase to the sort of level we had in the 1970’s. This would not be ruinous as I would also suspend all the interference in civil wars in the Middle East.
An £80 billion defence budget would not be out of place, of course the precursor of any of this is for Britain to leave the EU. Hopefully this will not be too long a time to wait unless Mr. (slipppery) Cameron decides that we will not get a referendum after all.
After the news that the out campaign will be legally bound to spend £6m less in the final weeks I think it will be a very difficult battle but not an unattainable victory.
quite agree. I see a defence budget of £60bn the minimum needed to maintain a decent defence force capable of acting all around the world. I would happily support £80bn and even £100bn.
Regarding the amount to be spent being greater for the advocates of staying in the EU club, this has long been anticipated by those who want to leave the EU.
It is a re-run of the 1975 referendum where I remember three pamphlets being delivered, a stay in the Common Market one, a leave Common Market one and, finally, one from the Labour government of the day urging us to vote to stay in. Hardly democratic but typical of the way things are done in the EU.
This time things are different, there is organised party who will campaign for leaving and people realise this time that staying in will not mean a ‘Common Market’ but will mean that control of our lives will rest with EU commissioners that we cannot vote out. I am optimistic that the people of Britain will vote to leave and begin to enjoy the freedoms I took for granted as a youngster in pre- EU Britain.
All I’m hearing is more jobs. Can’t be a bad thing.