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Munitions factory saves jobs in move

A North East munitions factory is to move to a purpose-built site, preserving more than 300 jobs in the process.

BAE Systems’ decision to move from the Birtley plant, near Chester-le-Street, to a facility in Washington, will bring to an end 93 years of munitions-making at the factory.

The move was approved by Sunderland City Council this week and a contract between BAE and the site’s owners is expected to be signed imminently.

It follows a £2bn munitions deal between BAE and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced in August last year.

The 15-year Munitions Acquisition Supply Solution deal could be extended for a further ten years if all goes well, sustaining jobs at the new factory for another generation.

A BAE Systems spokesman said: “The 15-year-contract, with an option for ten more, has taken us from a period of a series of short-term orders.

“It allowed us to take a longterm view and invest £120m into the three munition sites.

“We have to perform, and the MoD will hold us to that, but there is no doubt all the staff are very motivated. Several times over the last couple of years troops who have come back from Afghanistan have toured the factories and given presentations to the workforce including the nightshift.

“There is nothing like these guys telling them for the staff to recognise the importance of what they are doing.”

Although no decision has been taken on the future of the Birtley site, it is expected it will eventually be developed into homes and light industrial units.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .