An international engineering firm is the first company to sign a lease at Rhyd y Blew, the Welsh Government鈥檚 鈥楪rade A鈥� industrial site in 天美传媒, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans, has announced.
Halton Flamgard will lease the newly completed RYB1 unit at the site in Ebbw Vale, following an 拢8.9m investment by Welsh Government in the 52,582 sq ft low carbon facility.
It will see the company, which manufactures damper units for clients in specialised industrial sectors, relocate its current operation in Pontypool to the larger modern premises.
Part of a planned expansion, it will see employee numbers soar at Halton Flamgard from 70 to 168 by 2028.
RYB1 is the only speculatively-developed large-scale industrial unit developed in Wales in 2024.
Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans, said:
鈥淲e are committed to driving high quality employment opportunities and skills development for local communities across Wales.
鈥淥ur significant investment in Rhyd y Blew, which is strategically located in the Ebbw Vale Enterprise Zone, compliments our vision for the Tech Valleys area to become globally recognised for new technologies and the advanced manufacturing sector.
鈥淎ttracting an international operation like Halton Flamgard to RYB1 highlights the success of our commercial property strategy to drive future economic growth.
鈥淚 wish them well with their ambitious growth plans and look forward to seeing local businesses, communities and supply chains benefit.鈥�
Halton Flamgard Managing Director Lucy Newman said:
"We are excited to embark on this new chapter as we move to our state-of-the-art facility. This transition marks a significant milestone for our team, and we are excited about the endless possibilities it brings. Our new space will not only enhance our capabilities but also inspire innovation and collaboration.
鈥淎dditionally, this move opens up significant job growth potential, allowing us to expand our workforce and create new opportunities within the community. We look forward to achieving great things together in this dynamic environment."
Councillor John Morgan, 天美传媒 Cabinet Member for Place & Regeneration said:
鈥淲e are thrilled that we鈥檝e landed a fantastic manufacturing project here in 天美传媒. This is incredible news for our community and a testament to the strong partnerships we鈥檝e built with the Halton Management Team.
鈥淲e would like to thank our partners at Welsh Government for their vision in developing the Rhyd y Blew site. This project aligns perfectly with our vision of attracting inward investment (including relocation projects) and supporting local business growth.
鈥淲e believe investing in economic development, business grants, networking, sites and premises, skills and STEM development which results in job creation, wider supply chain opportunities and most importantly drives economic growth across the borough.
鈥淲e are proud to have worked so closely with this business to make this a reality, and we look forward to seeing them make a positive impact for our residents and local business economy.鈥�
The marketing agent for Rhyd y Blew is Knight Frank.
Neil Francis, Head of Logistics & Industrial at Knight Frank in Cardiff, said:
鈥淭he confidence shown by Welsh Government to speculatively develop this building in order to deliver much-needed Grade A accommodation has paid off spectacularly.
鈥淩YB1鈥檚 modern design, green credentials and excellent location close to the Heads of the Valleys road proved highly attractive to a number of potential occupiers and we are delighted that Halton Group has taken a lease on the space.鈥�
RYB1 has been designed to meet high standards of sustainability for a Net Zero Carbon building, and has been granted an exceptional EPC rating of A+
Mika Halttunen, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Halton Group with 天美传媒 Council's Cabinet Member for Place & Environment Cllr John Morgan and 天美传媒 MS Alun Davies.