General Dynamics ‘Delighted’ With Merthyr Tydfil Contractors’ Fair Response

Companies from across South Wales attended a contractors’ fair in the hope of securing work at General Dynamics Land Systems-UK’s new Merthyr Tydfil plant. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Orbit Business Centre in Rhydycar Business Parkwas packed with representatives of 65 companies who were given details of the opportunities available for facilities and services contractors required by the defence firm over the next nine years. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I was delighted at the turnout from the South Wales business community,” said General Dynamics Land Systems-UK Facilities Manager Nick Hunter, who gave the presentation. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It shows a real interest in what we are going to be doing at the new site in Merthyr Tydfil. This was just the first step in the road to getting the site up and running to allow occupation over the coming months.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Following the presentation, the companies were able to ask questions and find out how to bid for the waste management, cleaning and catering/hospitality contracts at one-to-one sessions. The contracts will run until at least 2025. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

General Dynamics Land Systems-UK is currently transforming the former Linde Forklift Truck factory into a specialist engineering hub for the British Army’s next generation of armoured vehicles. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Potential contracts will be awarded for ground maintenance across the 50-acre site, security, pest control and cleaning the offices, canteen, toilets, guard house and shop floor. Service and maintenance contracts will also be available for the factory’s extensive range of equipment, along with inspection and testing of all its systems. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The company – which already employs 550 at its facilities in Oakdale, Caerphilly – will take on 250 people at the new plant, assembling and testing the new fleet of the army’s first fully digitised Ajax armoured vehicles for the Ministry of Defence. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Nick Hunter said there would be a staged build-up to the start of work at Merthyr Tydfil, with the first warehouse and offices opening in July 2016, the main office complex opening in early September for around 100 staff moving from Oakdale. Assembly and testing is scheduled to begin in August 2017. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​