Stockport manufacturer creates jobs amid £2.3bn defence contract

WFEL, the UK subsidiary of German defence company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW), is creating a substantial number of jobs as a result of a recently signed £2.3 billion contract to manufacture 500 Boxer military vehicles.

The Boxer Mechanised Infantry Vehicle programme aims to source more than 60% of the vehicle’s components from UK suppliers.

The 8x8 wheeled vehicles will be supplied in several different configurations, including an armoured personnel carrier, field ambulance, command vehicle and specialist carrier.

Delivery of the vehicles is expected to start from 2023 and this order marks the return of the UK to a European Defence Programme, having taken part in the Boxer project while in its infancy. Boxer is now on its way to becoming one of NATO’s standard vehicles.

UK defence minister James Heappey commented: “Investing in the Boxer programme is a prime example of defence doing more than ever to level-up the UK economy through employment. By developing our relationship with WFEL, we are also supporting high-skilled jobs across the UK supply chain.

“This partnership ensures we engage with our people from the very beginning, connecting talented apprentices with the valuable roles defence has to offer.”

[caption id="attachment_49510" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] WFEL’s Ian Anderton, had the opportunity to brief prime minister Boris Johnson on the new Boxer programme during a recent visit to the British Army’s training facilities on Salisbury Plain. Image: WFEL[/caption]

As part of the preparations for this significant contract, WFEL has re-energised its apprenticeship scheme, with the first of its new apprentice recruits recently joining the company to follow the path of advanced apprenticeships in engineering manufacture.

As well as the on-going commitment to new apprenticeships, WFEL is actively recruiting for a substantial number of new roles to be based at its Stockport site, whilst engaging with both existing and new suppliers in anticipation of its contribution to both the North West economy and the Northern Powerhouse.

Ian Anderton, managing director of WFEL, concluded: “Our substantial involvement in the Boxer programme allows us to further develop our UK supply chain, in turn creating and protecting valuable UK engineering jobs and developing new skills for our staff and those of our supply chain partners.Working in close partnership with our KMW colleagues, we are both delighted and proud to be part of this transformational project for the British Army, with whom we have worked for many years.”

WFEL www.wfel.com