£2.5m investment aims to boost aerospace and defence manufacturing in Wales

Nation.Cymru staff

A south Wales manufacturer has opened a new £2.5 million facility designed to strengthen the UK’s aerospace and defence supply chains.

Wall Colmonoy Ltd has launched the new production centre at its European headquarters in Pontardawe, where it has operated for almost 60 years.

The investment is expected to support the manufacture of specialist components used in aircraft engines and defence equipment.

The project has been supported by the Defence Technology Exploitation Programme and the Defence and Security Accelerator, and has been developed in collaboration with Rolls-Royce.

Company bosses say the facility will help increase the UK’s ability to produce high-specification metal components domestically, reducing reliance on overseas suppliers and strengthening resilience in key industrial sectors.

The new facility includes one of the largest vacuum casting furnaces available commercially in the UK.

The equipment allows specialist metal alloys to be produced in tightly controlled conditions for use in aerospace and defence applications.

Wall Colmonoy said the site will also use digital modelling technology to improve manufacturing processes and reduce waste, while helping to recycle materials from older aerospace equipment into new products.

Representatives from industry, government and partner organisations attended the official launch earlier this year.

The company said the investment would help safeguard existing skilled jobs in the Swansea Valley while creating opportunities in advanced engineering and manufacturing.

Rob Davies, managing director of Wall Colmonoy Limited, said: “This investment represents a significant step forward for our UK operations and for the wider manufacturing sector.

“The facility enables us to deliver advanced aerospace and defence components while strengthening critical capability within the UK.”

Founded in Wales in 1969, Wall Colmonoy is the European arm of a family-owned American business that supplies industries including aerospace, defence, automotive and energy.