Airbus boss says company “committed” to UK after previous warning it could move wing-building out of Britain

Airbus chief executive Guillaume Faury has said the company is still “committed” to the UK, despite a warning given by his predecessor it could move wing-building out of Britain.

Faury – who took up his role in April last year – was speaking at the company’s New Year’s reception this week.

He said, “Airbus is committed to the UK and to working with the new government on an ambitious industrial strategy.

“We see great potential to improve and expand our operations in the UK this year.”

Former Airbus chief executive, Tom Enders, had branded the UK Government’s handling of Brexit a “disgrace” and gave a stark warning it could move future wing-building out of Britain as a result of a ‘no-deal’ Brexit in a video message published by the company last January.

Airbus employs 6,000 staff at its site in Broughton from across north east Wales, and a further 7,500 in the rest of the UK including 450 at a site near Newport.

Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Andrea Leadsom, was also at the event, said: “While Airbus is undoubtedly a European company – it’s also something of a national treasure. For decades, the UK has had the privilege – and it is a privilege – of being one of Airbus’s 4 ‘home nations’. And it was great to hear Guillaume say that Airbus remains committed to the UK.”

Shadow Minister for North Wales, Mark Isherwood AM welcomed the comments, He said: “This is great news for North Wales, proves the value and quality of the workforce in and around Broughton, and is a vindication of Boris’s stance on Brexit.

“Wales – and the rest of the UK – is a hive of aerospace and tech industries, and this commitment from M. Faury and Airbus is further evidence of this.”