Airbus creates 480 jobs in North Wales
Airbus has announced a £150 million investment in its Broughton facility in North Wales, which is expected to generate roughly 480 additional high-value positions. The funding will convert the site’s former A380 wing-building plant into a production line for the A321, expanding the location’s contribution to Airbus’ global manufacturing network.
The programme is slated for completion by the close of 2026 and signals a strong endorsement of Broughton, where the company already provides work for about 6,000 staff. Approximately 250 of the new posts will be located within the upgraded factory, while a total of around 480 jobs will be added across the broader Broughton complex throughout 2026.
Expansion and Job Creation
The enlargement coincides with Airbus’ effort to boost output in response to worldwide demand for its A320 Family models. At present, the firm is handling an order backlog of roughly 7,500 A320 Family aircraft, with A321 variants accounting for about 70% of that total. Upon completion, the Broughton site will host six wing-assembly jigs, an outfitting line and a dedicated paint facility, thereby adding capacity to feed Airbus’ international aircraft-assembly lines.
This scale of development further embeds North Wales in one of the planet’s most extensive advanced-manufacturing supply chains. Broughton, already dubbed Airbus’ “Home of Wings”, produces wing sections that become part of aircraft operating worldwide. An A320 Family jet lifts off or touches down somewhere on the globe roughly every two seconds.
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Investment and Future Production
Around the world today, an A320 Family aircraft takes off or lands every two seconds, with wings designed and built in the UK.”
He added: “Investing in our capacity strengthens our industrial footprint, creates high value jobs that support the wider UK aerospace sector and ensures we remain competitive in the years to come. This investment is important for jobs, important for the region and important for our global ramp up towards rate 75.”
The new plant is being fashioned as an advanced-manufacturing hub, with direct input from Airbus personnel. Workers from various parts of the Broughton site have helped shape choices concerning ergonomics, technology and the layout of the production system. The first wing has already entered production, and all six jigs are expected to be operational before the year ends.
Regional Impact and Investment
He continued: “This announcement strongly supports our ambition to grow advanced manufacturing and re-industrialise Wales.” The Broughton expansion forms part of a broader Airbus investment programme across the United Kingdom, following a separate multi-million-pound commitment to enlarge wing-building and advanced-composite capabilities at the Belfast plant as Airbus steps up production of its A220 model.
