There was positive news this week as Honda announced that 500 new jobs will be created at the Swindon factory as part of a £200 million investment to create the site into a global production hub. Furthermore the site will become a worldwide production centre for the Civic five-door model, which will now be exported from Swindon to be sold in North America.
I was delighted to take the phone call ahead of the announcement and I was especially pleased with the speed at which this investment will take place with 150 production jobs created before Christmas and the remaining 350 to be filled before April 2016.
This well and truly places Swindon on the map as a great place to manufacture and do business. We are a hub for both national and international companies due to our pro-business and pro-investment outlook. Production on the next-generation Civic will begin next summer as annual production levels are expected to jump from 110,000 vehicles to 150,000 by the end of March 2017, with manufacturing due to begin next summer.
Not only will this create jobs, but it will ensure a positive impact on the rest of the town and wider region, with suppliers and third parties likely to benefit from the increased productivity. This includes the company Honda Logistics UK, formally the South Marston Distribution Centre which I visited earlier this year. The business receives and stores parts for Honda as part of the manufacturing process, something I hadn’t realised that took place separate to Honda until I toured the site and met with the workforce. Honda logistics will receive more work and demand as a result of this good news and although not officially confirmed, it is likely that they will require extra staff as a result – thus creating more jobs for our town.
The UK itself has become a driving force for car production across Europe, overtaking France, Italy and Spain in terms of the number of cars being exported. We now have the second biggest car industry in Europe – a big achievement considering we we’re in 5th place before 2010. This is a direct result of our growing economy and long-term plan for jobs and investment.
Finally, the day of my Disability Confident event is now upon us! After months of preparation and planning, representatives from nearly 80 employers will be arriving at STEAM museum to hear how they can join the many successful businesses who are already benefiting from employing people with disabilities. If you are a local employer, or work for a business based nearby, then please do join us today at any time between the hours of 10am to 1pm – it’s not too late and I certainly wouldn’t want you to miss out!
