Welshpool firm switches to Wrexham

 

Vehicle parts producers Cobra UK has announced it will close its Welshpool production centre at the end of April after landing a £12million contract with Vauxhall Motors.

 

All of the 49 staff based at Welshpool have been offered positions at the new Wrexham site which opened earlier this year to start production of high volume vehicle interior load floors for the new Vauxhall Astra.

 

“All of our Welshpool staff have been offered roles at the new Wrexham site,” said Managing Director Gary Seale. “Around 50% of our employees already travel to Welshpool from Wrexham.

 

“We wanted bigger premises to meet our expansion needs and unfortunately there is nothing in the Welshpool area that meets our requirements.

 

“The move to Wrexham keeps us in Wales and puts us closer to General Motors and Bentley, our biggest customers, which will also help us reduce our carbon footprint.

 

“When we are working to full capacity our workforce should expand to nearly 140 so we needed to move to the new 70,000 sq ft premises. We have also applied for planning permission to double the size.

 

“It is disappointing to have to leave Welshpool but we have simply outgrown our current headquarters.”

 

The company’s expansion is being backed by a substantial contribution from the Welsh Assembly Government Repayable Business Finance (RBF) scheme.

 

Seale says support from the Welsh Government had been instrumental in their success.

 

“Our expansion simply would not have happened without the support and funding we have received which enabled us to test and validate new designs and products as well as equip for Vauxhall’s high demand,” he said.

 

“It enabled us to expand our product range and grow the business which includes plans to create new jobs in Wales. Current staff members have the opportunity to grow with CobraUK,” he said.

 

Cobra’s Automotive Products Division manufactures interior car parts for some of the world’s leading motor manufacturers including Bentley, Volvo, Audi as well as Vauxhall owned General Motors.