Airbus invests £150m and adds nearly 900 jobs at Broughton site

Airbus is expanding its wing production operations at its Broughton site in Flintshire, Wales, to address a massive backlog of orders for the A321 single-aisle jet. The aerospace company is investing £150 million to repurpose the West Factory, a facility previously used for A380 superjumbo wings that has served as a warehouse since 2020.

The investment will facilitate the creation of nearly 900 new jobs at the complex. This includes approximately 430 workers being added to the existing 6,000-strong workforce, with further hiring expected next year. The refurbished factory will feature six production stations, a wing-equipping line, and a paint shop, all aimed at supporting the high demand for the A321, particularly the extra long-range (XLR) version.

Jerome Blandin, head of Airbus Wing, stated that the repurposing of the plant is a “fundamental part, the finishing touch” of the company’s goal to produce more than 1,000 aircraft annually before the end of the decade. The Broughton site remains a critical global hub, as the wings manufactured there are used for commercial aircraft assembly lines across Europe, China, and the United States.