RUNNING HEAD
Aston Martin Lagonda’s second production facility, St Athan
“We are struggling with the amount
of available hotel accommodation there is in the area around Cardiff and that area of Wales, both just physically and on cost as well. These are all things we are looking at currently and part of what we are doing in establishing a plant with upwards of 750 in St Athan,” said Mr Kerr. To resolve this, Aston Martin is working
closely with service providers locally who are able to provide excellent local information and insight into the accommodation options available.
...and opportunities The permanent move of some IT roles from Gaydon to St Athan reflects both the company’s eye on the future and leading- edge automotive technology in its “seven years, seven models” business plan, and the rising reputation Wales has for digital services and research. While the West Midands has earned
its mantle as a great place do business, live and work for tech expertise, South Wales is undergoing a digital boom of its own with a number of initiatives designed to drive digital innovation. This to the extent that in 2017,
Cardiff beat London and Birmingham in business school INSEAD’s Global talent Competitiveness Index, which ranks 46 cities worldwide on 19 variables, including R&D investment, quality of life, education and the presence of major universities, average monthly expenses and airport connectivity. As just one example of the scale of these
developments, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) established its Economics Centre of Excellence and Data Science Campus at Newport, following its relocation out of London. A network of other university-led
projects and hubs are also delivering benefits, including knowledge and talent, which are being mapped by global innovation foundation, NESTA, and its Arloesiadur (innovation directory) network. These are all trends Aston Martin is
very aware of and that help to make the location attractive. “We believe Wales does have a lot to offer in accessing talent. Particularly in the high-tech area. There is a lot of investment they [the Welsh government] are making to the Welsh Universities and the other high-tech firms based in Wales. And we’d very much like to be part of that,” says Mr Kerr. “We
are looking closely at how
connected cars are relevant to our product. Most of that work will be done from our St Athan facility,” he continues. “We’ve also been made most welcome by the Welsh government. We enjoy a close working relationship with them. We are happy to work collaboratively with them to access the best of what Wales has to offer us.”
Moving people At an individual level for people in roles relocating from Gaydon to St Athan, Aston Martin has created a range of flexible options designed to support team members and their personal situations. “This allows us a good level of flexibility to ensure we can meet the needs of the employee in a sustainable and practical way,” says Mr Kerr. “Our approach has been to explain
the opportunities and positions available, and encourage voluntary take up of the opportunity to move. The response we have received has therefore been very positive for the organisation. “We have had a mix of people who see the opportunity to live in South Wales as
great for them and their family, and those who see the great career development this move offers.” The company also has a significant
programme of 100 apprenticeships, which last four years. Committing also to the future skills pipeline in St Athan, Aston Martin will open a second apprentice training academy specifically for the new plant, which starts recruiting in September 2019.
Going forward under the Second Century Plan Despite the UK’s still-uncertain trajectory out of the European Union in the next few years, Aston Martin looks to be navigating its internal and external challenges well. Aston Martin is set to achieve the
top end of its sales targets this year. The company’s revenues have also nearly doubled to £282m, with an expanded dealer network in China boosting sales by 118 per cent as the broader market slowed, reports the FT. For Michael Kerr, stability is critical. A
smooth transition of people to St Athan to bring the new production lines into action for the hotly anticipated DBX is the first step. As for Brexit, “We are reasonably
well placed, we are looking for stability, and we will deal with that as and when things unfold.” With Aston Martin’s people-centred approach, its meticulously manufactured cars look to be in safe hands.
2019 THINK
Have you got a great case study to share? Enter the Relocate Awards. See page 40 for further details.
16 | Relocate | January 2019
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56