Aston Martin Completes The First Phase Of Its New Factory In Wales

Aston Martin is hard at work building its new factory in Wales, and has just completed the first phase.

The St Athan site will be the home of the company’s debut crossover. Tentatively dubbed DBX, the new model is slated to begin production sometime next year.

The automaker took possession of the site from the Ministry of Defence late in 2016 and started work on converting it into an automotive assembly plant.

Just completed, Phase I involved building the offices. Those include customer and staff reception areas, administration and management offices, and an on-site restaurant for employees. Phase II has been under way since April, and will focus on developing the three “super hangars” into a manufacturing facility.

“The St Athan facility is really starting to take shape,” noted Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer. “ With the completion of this first phase, it is another milestone on our journey in Wales, and an important part of Aston Martin’s Second Century Plan.”

Some 750 employees are slated to work at the site once it’s ready, chosen from among 3,000 applications. The first of them are already training along the DB11 assembly line at the company’s main production facility in Gaydon.

The automaker’s historic home at Newport Pagnell was recently recommissioned to build continuation examples of the classic DB4 GT. St Athan will be its third. All three assembly plants are located within the UK. The company also builds its engines in Cologne, Germany, within the sprawling Ford factory there.

Economy Secretary Ken Skates said: “It is great to hear that work on phase I of Aston Martin’s facility in St Athan is now complete and that phase II is progressing well,” said economy secretary Ken Skates. “Aston Martin’s decision to move to St Athan is a huge coup for Wales and it is a genuine testament to the can-do attitude of Welsh Government, and to the reputation, dedication and skills of our work force.”