£1million investment wins new work and jobs for BAIE

Blackwood based British Airways Interior Engineering (BAIE) has gained approval to overhaul evacuation slides on BA's new A380 fleet of aircraft after  a £1m investment backed by Welsh Government.

The aircraft slides are traditionally maintained by the original equipment manufacturer that made them for Airbus and hence BA is the world's first airline to get manufacturer approval to carry out this work.

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Work on North Wales’ largest strategic employment site starts Work on developing the largest strategic employment site in North Wales - with the potential to create up to 5000 jobs – has started. First Minister Carwyn Jones has announced Welsh Government is to fund and construct the main highway across the 420 acre Northern Gateway site on Deeside Enterprise Zone. This is in addition to the £2.2m which the Welsh Government is currently spending on flood improvement works on a section of river bank which runs along the southern boundary of the site. Read more.

New Japanese inward investment project to create 100 jobs Calbee, Inc. - Japan’s largest manufacturer of savoury snacks is making its first investment in Europe and opening a new facility on Deeside Enterprise Zone creating more than 100 jobs. The news was announced in Japan by Economy Minister Edwina Hart and Akira Matsumoto, Chairman and CEO of Calbee, following a meeting to finalise the deal. The significant investment, which is backed by business finance from the Welsh Government, is a direct result of the Minister meeting Calbee senior executives last year when she led a trade mission to Japan. Read more.

New factory and equipment boosts turnover for packaging specialist Packaging specialist Sarpack’s future is all wrapped up as its turnover is set to increase by more than £2m after opening a second manufacturing facility. Welsh Government funding has helped Sarpack, which operates from two units in Maesteg and employs 25 people, open a new factory in Margam to meet the growing demand from its diverse client base. Read more.

£1m investment boosts business for Consort Equipment Products A £1million investment in the latest and most technically advanced equipment available is already delivering results for Consort Equipment Products – increasing its capacity and capability and supporting its export drive to China. The investment, backed by £385,000 from the Wales Economic Growth Fund, has already created thirteen new jobs and safeguarded a further 37 at its headquarters in Milford Haven, within Haven Waterway Enterprise Zone.  The business currently employs 100 people, including some seasonal staff. Read more and learn more about Haven Enterprise Zone.

First Boeing 747 lands at St Athan The first Boeing 747 recently landed at St Athan - after a six and a half hour flight from North Kentucky International Airport. The 21 year old aircraft, the 1,000th Boeing 747 to be manufactured, during the latter stages of its life has been used as a freighter by US airline Southern Air Transport. It was flown into St Athan to be dis-assembled by E Cube Solutions Ltd. The company specialises in “end of life” aircraft projects and has received Welsh Government support to grow the business and to attend the aviation conference and exhibition, MRO Europe, in 2014 and 2013, enabling them to widen their international networks in the aviation industry. Read more about the company and find out about St Athan.

Airbus all-girls Industrial Cadets 2014 programme begins Economy Minister Edwina Hart has welcomed the launch of the second Airbus Industrial Cadets programme at Broughton. Thiis is aimed at  introducing girls to basic engineering and manufacturing and increase the take-up of science and technology subjects. Feedback from the inaugural all-girls Welsh Government sponsored initiative at Broughton last year was very positive the Minister said and that the 2014 programme  - again sponsored by the Welsh Government -is back by popular demand. Read more.

Industry Awareness STEM event The STEM event arranged by Welsh Government in conjunction with Flintshire and International Motorsport, was held again this year at the Service Park in Deeside to coincide with the Wales Rally GB 2014. The event was supported by 35 companies and academia located in Wales with ‘hands on’ exhibits showing the relationship between STEM study areas and engineering careers. The event will be held again to coincide with the WRGB 2015. Find out more about the event here. View the video of last year's event.

Advances Wales issue 74 out now Have you received your copy of Advances Wales?  The new edition of the science and technology magazine is out now. Read about the diverse range of research, development and innovation in Wales; from the all-weather solid flammable biofuel for military ration cookers and waterless hand sanitisation from BCB International, to the development of a new technology by Markes International, enabling scientists to more easily identify chemicals in everything from crude oil to the air we breathe. View our online edition and subscribe for free on Expertise Wales.

Global packaging firm Essentra’s new centre

On the morning of the UK Investment Summit Wales opening in Newport, global packaging company Essentra officially launched its new state of the art facility in the city.

The new 52,000 sq ft purpose built packaging manufacturing facility at Imperial Park, Newport, was backed by £290,000 business finance from the Welsh Government, and has created nearly twenty new jobs.

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Air Support in South Wales region migrates to NPAS

The the joint Air Support for South Wales Police and Gwent Police has migrated to the National Police Air Service (NPAS) which has extended its operations into Wales.

It will utilise the existing airfield at RAF St Athan, which is just a few minutes flying time from Cardiff, boasts an EC135 helicopter and will serve the communities of South Wales and Gwent; providing further air support where and when required.

The St Athan Aerospace Business Park - part of the St Athan and Cardiff Enterprise Zone – is owned by the Welsh Government which was instrumental in ensuring the service was retained at St Athan, safeguarding all the jobs at the base and resulting in minimal disruption to the service.

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KK Fine Foods largest expansion to create 90 jobs

KK Fine Foods is creating 90 new jobs on Deeside Enterprise Zone in its largest investment to date, with support from the Welsh Government and Finance Wales.

The £4.2million investment is creating an additional 10,000 sq ft of manufacturing space and funding the purchase of new equipment that will increase capacity to produce more than £30m worth of frozen food annually.

Read more and learn more about Deeside Enterprise Zone.

Firm set up by former Remploy workers exceeds sales targets and expands

R2 Furniture Solutions - a new business formed by  Remploy staff who lost their jobs when the Baglan facility closed - has exceeded its sales targets in its first year of trading and expanding into larger premises with room for future growth.

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Welsh scientists help discover Beagle 2 on Mars

Space scientists at Aberystwyth University have played an important role in the discovery of the remains of the Beagle 2 Mars Lander, the Mars robot which was lost on Christmas Day 2003.

Using expertise from the University, images were recovered from Mars and analysed to identify its location. The UK-led Beagle 2, was then found partially deployed on the surface of Mars, demonstrating that the ‘Entry, Descent and Landing’ sequence worked successfully.

This work builds upon the extensive space research carried out in Wales and brought together as part of the Welsh Academic Space Partnership (WASP); co-ordinated by the Welsh Government’s Advanced Materials and Manufacturing sector and in which the Aberystwyth University space scientists were heavily involved.

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Reflex & Allen expands and plans to double turnover

Reflex & Allen UK (R&A UK) is expanding its operations in Bodelwyddan by relocating into much larger premises on the former Hotpoint site – a key element of its growth strategy to double turnover to £80million within five years.

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Qioptiq’s sites are ‘ great advertisement’ for Welsh expertise

The highly innovative products and world class technology developed at Qioptiq’s two sites in North Wales are a prime example of the world leading capability and expertise that Wales can offer overseas companies looking to invest in the UK.

This was the message from Economy Minister Edwina Hart as she visited Qioptiq’s St Asaph site – just one week ahead of the UK Investment Summit Wales 2014 which will be a global showcase for Welsh innovation and skills.

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KV Roller’s new material to make industry safer

The packaging and print industry could be markedly safer in future thanks to a ground-breaking new material created by South Wales company, KV Rollers  and backed by Welsh Government funding.

Based in Cwmbran, the company is a leading manufacturer of rubber rollers and of rubber polymers for use in the print, packaging, food handling and advanced engineering industries.  Their new product, Kalexite, is a roller covering with superior anti-static properties, which is believed to slash the risk of factory fires by reducing the risk of sparking and ignition, while boosting productivity for its users.

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PARIS AIRSHOW 2015- Le Bourget, 15-21 June

Paris Airshow presents an opportunity for Wales based businesses to showcase their products / services and capabilities.

The Paris Airshow is one of the leading Global Aerospace events and therefore offers participating delegates the opportunity to network with influential aerospace contacts present at the event and meet with key industry leaders.

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MRO Europe, ExCel London 14-15 October  2015

MRO Europe is the key event for companies involved in any aspect of aviation maintenance, repair, and overhaul. Welsh Government has had a presence at the event for the last two years (London 2013 and Madrid 2014) and helped 14 companies to exhibit as part of the wider Wales proposition supporting the strength of the indigenous capability.  The Advanced Materials and Manufacturing sector team again intends to work with Welsh businesses at the 2015 event to showcase their expertise and to encourage Inward Investors to Wales.

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International Investment conference held in Wales

Following the NATO Summit in Wales in September, an invitation-only conference entitled ‘Embracing new technology for competitive advantage’ was held at Celtic Manor, Newport.

The conference was attended by Prime Minister, David Cameron; First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones; Economy Minister, Edwina Hart and Secretary of State for Wales, Stephen Crabb and brought together 250 investors, business leaders and ministers. A wide variety of highly innovative Welsh technology was showcased, illustrating the R&D capability in Wales and raising its profile as a destination for inward investment. Hi-tech products included a James Bond-style high performance speedboat that transforms into a streamlined underwater submersible, developed by an Anglesey company, and the UK's first 3D printed metal bike frame from Cardiff.

Visit here to watch the highlights of the event.

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