More than 100 jobs are at risk at Aston Martin’s St Athan plant in the Vale of Glamorgan, as the luxury carmaker grapples with US trade tariffs and falling demand from China.
The company, which began production at its Welsh site in 2019, confirmed that staff consultations are under way but said no final decision on redundancies has yet been made.
Aston Martin said the planned measures were part of efforts to “strengthen the business in response to continued challenges in the global macroeconomic environment.” The firm added that the proposals could affect “contractor, fixed-term and permanent roles.”
Union leaders described the situation as “devastating”. Andrew Pearson, regional officer for Unite, said the union would begin consultation talks with the company in an effort to mitigate job losses.
The company’s shares have tumbled over the past year as it struggles with weaker demand across key international markets. Aston Martin recently warned that it could lose £110 million this year due to the “global macroeconomic environment.”
The St Athan site has already seen job cuts this year. In February, Aston Martin confirmed that 170 roles were being axed as part of a broader cost-saving drive.
Production jobs are expected to be most affected in the latest round of potential cuts, along with a number of contractor positions, according to BBC Wales.
The Welsh government said it was in contact with Aston Martin and stood ready to support affected employees.
“We are prepared to work with the company to offer support to workers following the outcome of the consultation,” a spokesperson said.
The St Athan plant, built on the site of a former RAF base, was seen as a key pillar of Aston Martin’s expansion when it opened in 2019. It employs several hundred staff and was originally intended to produce the company’s first SUV, the DBX, and future electric models.
Now, as economic pressures mount and global trade tensions bite, the future of that investment — and the jobs it brought to south Wales — hangs in the balance.