Blair opens Airbus plant
The Prime Minister today officially opened the new Airbus factory at Broughton in north Wales.
The completion of the project, representing the second phase of a £350m expansion by the aerospace group, will ensure the creation of 1,200 jobs in the area.
The new plant, which has an area equating to 12 football pitches, will assemble the wings for the A380 superjumbo (which has a capacity of over 500), and will complement the other plant on the east of the site that opened at the start of the year.
Airbus’ growth – despite the recent slowdown in the aviation industry – has proven the success of the strategy to form a European consortium to challenge the big American players. After its consolidation in 2001 the company now has manufacturing plants in the UK, Spain, France and Germany.
The Broughton plant’s future was secured last month after an order for more than 40 jets – 21 of which are A380s – was placed by the Emirates airline. The deal is reported to be worth £7.5bn to Airbus.
On Sunday, it was announced that Airbus should overtake its American rival for the first time, by delivering 300 jets this year, compared with Boeing’s 280.
