Brexit: Welsh automotive jobs 'will go' without trade deal

A number of jobs in Wales' automotive industry could be lost due to a lack of clarity over a post-Brexit trade deal, one company's chief executive has said.

Andrew Farthing, from GSM in Brecon, Powys, said the industry was coming under "serious pressure" and that a deal "needs to happen".

The warning came as Northern Automotive confirmed 130 staff are losing their jobs at its Monmouthshire plant.

Talks between the UK and EU on Monday failed to agree conditions for a deal.

Boris Johnson will travel to Brussels to discuss whether a deal can be done.

The UK left the EU in January, but is still bound by its rules until the end of the transition period, which is on 31 December.

About 16,000 people are employed making car parts and components in Wales, the Wales Automotive Forum said

Mr Farthing said that if a deal is not reached, it would mean turmoil for the industry.

"I think we will end up losing jobs in Wales," he said.

"I think various automotive companies are trying as best [as] they can to retain the industry in the UK, but it is coming under serious pressure."

GSM is a global company employing more than 400 people across the world, with its headquarters in the UK.

It employs 111 people in Brecon, where it makes interiors for car-makers such as Jaguar, but Mr Farthing said the company has had to build a larger facility in Poland as a contingency plan.

He added: "GSM is based in Wales and will always have a base in Wales, there's no doubt behind that but it depends on what sort of industry comes forward post 2020.

"The UK government has been running advertisements encouraging businesses to be prepared, but I don't see how anyone could be totally prepared when there is not a deal on the table at this moment in time.

"We need clarity from the UK government and devolved parliaments in the UK about what is going to happen and at this moment in time it doesn't look as if the automotive sector is going to be supported in any way."

Northern Automotive has confirmed 130 staff are being made redundant from its plant at Gilwern, partly as a result of Brexit.

"This is part of a Europe-wide reorganisation by the NBHX Trim Group with the market shifts created by Brexit as a contributing factor for the restructuring," said a spokeswoman.

A total of 116 staff have already gone, with the remainder at Christmas, she said.

Meanwhile, the Welsh Government has announced updated contingency plans for the port of Holyhead at the end of the transition period.

Holyhead, on Anglesey, is a key route for goods travelling to and from the Republic of Ireland.

Contraflow will be introduced on the A55, between Junctions 2 and 3, with an option to extend to Junction 4, from 28 December, for all HGVs which are turned away from the port, with sites, including the round, being prepared as truck stop sites if no space is available.

Transport and Economy Minister Ken Skates said: "Our main aim is to ensure, as much as it is possible to do so, that any disruption to the port of Holyhead, residents of the town and wider area is kept to the absolute minimum.

"In current circumstances, operating a temporary contraflow on the A55 from January is the only certain option to ensure unready HGVs can be parked in a Covid-secure way and local traffic can continue to flow around Holyhead from 1 January.

"We have always been clear that the UK Government's approach on our future trading relationship with the EU would risk major disruption in Wales, particularly at the border. Uncertainty remains on key issues."