First Minister Carwyn Jones recently attended a ceremony marking GE Aviation’s 75th year in Wales. The aircraft engine maintenance company, which is based in Nantgarw (near Cardiff) has overhauled engines from iconic aircraft such as Concorde, as well as the GE90, the world’s most powerful aircraft engine, and the complete range of CFM56 engines — claimed to be the world’s most popular aircraft engine.
The Nantgarw facility can trace its history on the site back to 1940, when British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), moved its engine maintenance workshop there as part of a strategic redeployment. It replaced an earlier plant in London that had been set up by BOAC’s predecessor — Imperial Airways — in 1924.
Speaking at the ceremony, GE Aviation Wales site leader La-Chun Lindsay said: “Celebrating the site’s 75th year in Wales is a testament to the company’s highly skilled and dedicated employees and its dynamic approach to innovation and business growth. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has worked for the business over the past 75 years. We are extremely proud of what we have achieved and look forward to continuing our journey for many years to come.”
GE Aviation Wales has a highly skilled workforce of over 1,200 people and provides customer support for a range of global companies, including Emirates and British Airways.
It has a turnover of £1.5 billion and is considered by the Welsh Assembly Government to be an “anchor company.” Earlier this year, it announced plans to shed 100 jobs through voluntary redundancies.