The hand over of the new Aston Martin Site has taken place ready for redevelopment work to commence for the DBX.

• Ministry of Defence (MOD) formally hands over St Athan site to Aston Martin
• Work underway on redeveloping site into a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility
• 750 direct new jobs created in South Wales; on target to commence DBX production in 2019

Aston Martin today hosted a special ceremony that launched Phase II of the redevelopment of MOD St Athan. The site in South Wales will become the British luxury carmaker’s second UK manufacturing plant.

The former military site was formally handed over from the Ministry of Defence to Aston Martin by Secretary of State Sir Michael Fallon at a ceremony including Aston Martin President and CEO Dr. Andy Palmer, and Secretary of State for Wales, Alun Cairns and Welsh First Minister, Carwyn Jones. 

With the commencement of these works, Aston Martin St Athan is on target to commence production of the company’s new SUV, the Aston Martin DBX, in 2019.

Dr. Palmer commented: “Due to its sheer size and scale, the St Athan Super Hangars represented an excellent opportunity for us to build our second manufacturing facility, within the envelope of an existing structure. 

It is perhaps fitting that St Athan is, like our headquarters and sports car factory at Gaydon, a former Royal Air Force base.

Today I am pleased to welcome Secretary of State for Defence, Sir Michael Fallon and Secretary of State for Wales, Alun Cairns, both of whom have been instrumental in helping us secure this facility. I am also especially pleased to welcome back the First Minister, who has worked side-by-side with us on this programme from inception to completion.

Now we have commenced Phase II, these hangars will be redeveloped to become the home of our newest manufacturing facility.”

Just over one year ago, Aston Martin announced that St Athan had been chosen as the site for its second UK manufacturing plant from 20 potential global locations as part of the growth strategy under the companies Second Century Plan. The investment into St Athan is part of Aston Martins wider industrial expansion plans which will see 1,000 new jobs created across its two manufacturing sites by 2020, with a likely further 3,000 across the supply chain and local businesses in Wales.

Phase I commenced in late 2016 when Aston Martin was first given access to part of the site and began to create the customer and staff reception areas, administration and management offices and the employee restaurant.

Phase II marks the beginning of the project that will see the three super hangars redeveloped into a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. The new plant brings employment opportunities to South Wales; a recruitment event last year attracted 3,000 applications and already the first technicians are working on the DB11 at Gaydon, training for the highly-skilled roles they will take up at St Athan in 2020.

Secretary of State for Defence, Sir Michael Fallon commented: “This investment is great news for Wales. Aston Martin’s decision to build a new facility on MOD land we no longer need will also bring high skilled jobs to Wales. Releasing this site, and others, will enable us to invest in a better defence estate for the Armed Forces and their families.”

Secretary of State for Wales, Alun Cairns added: "Thanks to the close partnership between the UK and Welsh Governments and the prestigious Aston Martin brand, the St Athan site is springing back to life as a significant centre of employment, bringing with it valuable skills and a lasting legacy for the entire region.

"As the UK exits the EU, we are determined that our country remains a great place to invest and to do business. Aston Martin's decision to invest in Wales shows that we are creating and supporting the right conditions for industry investment. The UK Government’s comprehensive industrial strategy will build on that success, ensuring that we have the right infrastructure, skills and support in place for our world-leading industries as well as support for new emerging sectors to flourish."

First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones said: “Aston Martin’s positive influence on the local community and the economy of Wales is already being felt. More than 40 Welsh workers are now employed at Aston Martin Gaydon preparing for the start of production at St Athan, and many more job opportunities will follow before 2020. As Phase II of redevelopment commences at St Athan, supply chain companies throughout Wales will also have the opportunity to bid for contracts worth over £60m through the Welsh Government’s own Sell to Wales procurement site, extending the benefits of this massive investment throughout Wales.

“Aston Martin is a major success story for Wales and I look forward to further building on our working partnership to bring maximum benefits for the economy and the reputation of Wales worldwide.”

Prestigious Mayfair address illustrates ARES’ commitment to mass expansion

• First of several global boutique stores is open for business
• Prestigious Mayfair address illustrates ARES’ commitment
• Four-car facility with Phase II expansion in the pipeline
• ARES exclusive distributor agreement with leading independent armoured vehicle producers STREIT Group now extends from Middle East to include the United Kingdom

Today marks the start of another exciting chapter in the success story of Italian automotive atelier ARES.  In collaboration with distribution partners the STREIT Group, ARES opens its first ever boutique showroom in the heart of London’s Mayfair.

After several weeks of development and refurbishment work, the site – 77 Piccadilly – is now welcoming discerning luxury car buyers from across the capital, the south-east and beyond. It is the first in a planned portfolio of exquisite ARES stores, to be opened in some of the world’s most glamorous locations.

The Piccadilly centre is a fabulous enhancement of the ARES brand. Luxurious and contemporary, the stunning ground floor showroom has space for four hand-crafted vehicles from the ARES range. 

For the site’s launch, a Lamborghini Huracán, Range Rover, Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Mercedes-Benz S-Class are on display, highlighting the breadth of the brand’s capabilities to create a special automotive experience.

As clients enter this most prestigious of London addresses, they are immersed in a world of bespoke luxury automotive design. At the rear of the showroom is the atelier itself – the word means ‘studio’ or ‘workshop’ in French, and is traditionally associated with master craftsmen creating fine art of the highest quality. 

Here, customers can work with ARES’ experienced showroom staff to specify and personalise every aspect of their new vehicle.

The opening of the Piccadilly showroom – formerly occupied by Japanese car brand Infiniti – represents a significant financial investment by the ARES team. 

However, it is just the start; illustrating the brand’s long-term commitment to London and vision for the future, Phase II will see the creation of a lower ground floor with an enlarged capacity.

Dany Bahar, ARES Chief Executive Officer and Founder, said: “With so many of the world’s wealthiest individuals favouring a summer in London, this is the perfect time and location for the first ARES boutique store.”

He added: “Our unique atelier approach is about immersing our clients in our world, our materials and processes, our vision and our ambition. There is no other automotive experience like it.”

The location will also act as the exclusive outlet for UK customers to purchase STREIT armoured vehicles and follows the announcement in December that the STREIT Group would distribute ARES vehicles throughout the Middle East and Africa. 

“Security is increasingly at the forefront of customers’ minds,” said Guerman Goutorov, STREIT Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Now customers in the UK can access our trusted technology and specify a vehicle that combines security with ARES’ elegant luxury from a single location.”

ARES was founded in 2014 with one simple goal – to provide its customers with the ultimate in bespoke luxury automotive design and engineering. With a team of experienced technicians led by renowned designer Mihai Panaitescu, ARES collaborates with its customers to create unique, handcrafted, high-performance pieces.

From lightweight carbon fibre to the finest Italian leather, its highly skilled craftsmen push the limits of what’s possible. The result is a new benchmark in terms of engine performance and driver enjoyment.

ABOUT ARES:

Based in Modena, Italy, ARES is a luxury automotive atelier creating unique, handcrafted high-performance cars. ARES uses traditional Italian hand craftsmanship along with German engineering knowledge to develop bespoke cars that are perfectly tailored to the values and lifestyle of each individual customer.

ARES portfolio showcases a wide range of luxury automobiles for further details please visit: www.ares-performance.com. For further information and high-resolution images, please contact us or visit the press section of the ARES website at: www.ares-performance.com