Missile manufacturer MBDA has confirmed plans to double the size of its Bolton site within three years, creating some 700 high-skilled jobs as part of a £200m investment.
The development comes in the wake of the newly signed EU-º£½ÇÊÓƵ Summit Security and Defence Partnership, which paves the way for participation in the EU's fresh weapons programme. The Government says that will bring 'significant opportunities for the º£½ÇÊÓƵ's world-leading defence industries', as well as driving growth and supporting '430,000 British jobs and livelihoods'
MBDA intends to expand its Bolton site by 2028 and enhance both its apprenticeship scheme and educational outreach in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds visited the Bolton site this Thursday to disclose details of the expansion, which forms part of MBDA's broader £500m pledge towards augmenting its British manufacturing and technological capabilities, reports .
He said: "This is great news for Bolton and another win for our world-class defence sector, which will create hundreds of good, well-paid jobs and ensure the º£½ÇÊÓƵ continues to lead the way on the cutting-edge technologies of the future."
The newly announced Security and Defence Partnership will grant º£½ÇÊÓƵ firms access to the EU's proposed £150 billion defence fund. Today's announcement also supports MBDA's goal to achieve £10 billion in º£½ÇÊÓƵ exports by 2032.
MBDA º£½ÇÊÓƵ managing director, Chris Allam, said: "We are proud and excited to be building a world class engineering and manufacturing campus in the north-west of England, the centre of complex weapons manufacturing for the º£½ÇÊÓƵ, and our associated recruitment and training will extend our already great workforce.
"MBDA is privileged to have a 10-year Complex Weapons portfolio agreement with the º£½ÇÊÓƵ Government. This gives us the confidence to invest and better support the º£½ÇÊÓƵ and its allies. It also helps our supply chain and over 700 SMEs who work with MBDA in the º£½ÇÊÓƵ. When we expand, they expand with us."
º£½ÇÊÓƵ Export Finance CEO Tim Reid said: "Pioneering companies like MBDA º£½ÇÊÓƵ investing in their people and technologies for the long-term underscore why we are a world leader in defence.
"Thanks to our multi-billion-pound direct lending uplift, we can support even more defence firms to expand their production lines and take on more international orders from allies – leading to greater economic growth, stronger supply chains and local jobs back here at home."
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