The European aerospace giant Airbus has announced a £100 million investment in research into the next generation of wing design and manufacture in Wales and the South West, following a funding deal with the Government and the Welsh Assembly.

Wings for the group’s aircraft are designed at its Filton site near Bristol, while much wing assembly work is carried out at its Broughton plant in Flintshire. Airbus employs about 6,000 people at Broughton and around 4,000 at Filton.

Just under half of the £100 million will be invested in Broughton to build a new high-tech production line for A320 and A321 wings; this should be operational by July 2016.

Paul McKinlay, head of the Flintshire plant, said: “This is one of the biggest announcements for many years for Broughton. We may have an order book with work for seven years, but we must not be complacent. We have to stay ahead of our competitors around the world and ensure that this plant keeps ahead of the game and remains the place of choice for wing production.”

Fabrice Brégier, Airbus president and chief executive, said: “The success of Airbus relies on being an innovative company, and the UK plays a pivotal role in this through its wing design and production activities. The British aerospace sector is a world leader, and this investment recognises the huge economic benefits of highly skilled, high-value engineering. We have already invested significantly in our UK sites in the last decade, and this announcement continues our commitment.”