On a visit to Airbus in Filton, Osborne joined the company’s chief operating officier Tom Williams to announce the investment in a new Wing Integration Centre to develop and test the aerospace technology of the future, ensuring that hundreds of highly skilled jobs remain in Britain for years to come.
Osborne said: “When it comes to aerospace design Britain is the innovator of Europe and I want to see us going even further and becoming the global leader.”
He added: “Not only will the new research centre play home to some of the most exciting innovations in aerospace, for years to come it will also protect hundreds of highly skilled jobs.”
Williams added: “It is crucial we take the lead in developing new technology and this facility will help to shape the future of air travel for decades to come.
“This joint investment is a further boost to the Airbus site at Filton which is the global leader in design and testing of wings, fuel systems, and landing gear.”
The new ‘open access’ facility – capable of housing a full-scale civil airline wing – will also serve as a high-tech innovation space for other companies and sectors, outside of aerospace.
Opening in 2017, the centre will initially bring together around 300 highly skilled engineers who are currently based in other areas across the Filton site.
It is estimated that their work will safeguard over 900 R&D jobs in the south west and then up to a further 1,500 manufacturing jobs in the longer term.
The £37.2 million funding is being awarded through the aerospace technology funding programme, and is made up of an £18.6 million government investment matched by Airbus to create the new centre.
This investment forms part of the overall £3.9bn aerospace technology funding programme, a joint industry and government funding commitment which looks to build on the UK’s strengths and develop the products and manufacturing technologies that will best position the UK to sustain its global competitiveness.
