Cardiff Capital Region (CCR) has invested £2m in Apex Additive Technologies, opening up the huge potential of creating a digital manufacturing centre of excellence in the northern Valleys of South East Wales.
The Industry 4.0 Digital Manufacturing expertise of Ebbw Vale-based Apex brings the opportunity to make a truly disruptive impact across all sectors in Welsh manufacturing – with the company also serving as a sustainable talent pipeline of highly skilled local employees, able to deliver green, cost-effective and highly innovative manufacturing solutions to national and global markets.
Youssef Beshay, Founder and CEO of Apex Additive Technologies, explained why Ebbw Vale represented the ideal location for the business:
“Manufacturing is in the DNA of the northern Valleys of South Wales, and Apex empowers both local and global enterprises to adopt the most advanced metallic component manufacturing technology available – unlocking unrivalled design freedom, part performance and access to a wide selection of novel materials.
“Our natural customer base extends across the Life Sciences, Tooling, Aerospace, Automotive, Steel Making, Oil & Gas, and beyond – and this diversity and versatility brings the potential to create a rich ecosystem that will enable local businesses to break many barriers.
“We’re also very proud to be building a highly-skilled workforce here in the region – and are working closely with both Coleg Gwent and CCR’s Venture programme, to nurture an unrivalled Additive Manufacturing workforce that will benefit Wales and the UK as a whole.”
Councillor Stephen Thomas, Leader of Blaenau Gwent Council, is delighted to have attracted such an innovative and globally impactful business to Ebbw Vale:
“Apex brings proven Digital Manufacturing excellence to the region, with the capability to improve productivity across many different sectors, including our foundational economy.
“In an area that once dominated the world in steel production, Apex has the potential to create a whole new industry capable of shaping the world we live in – bringing a new competitive advantage to Welsh-based businesses; and growing both a domestic and global market share that is high-value and inherently sustainable.
“We’re delighted that Youssef and his team chose Ebbw Vale as the home for Apex; and proud to have worked with CCR in making this happen.”
Kellie Beirne, CEO of Cardiff Capital Region, noted the many valuable dimensions of the Apex investment:
“We’re delighted to be making an equity investment in a company that can be a catalyst for so many manufacturing breakthroughs in our region – with the potential to become a centre of excellence that builds a world-class workforce and manufacturing ecosystem.
“It’s also a huge positive to bring a generator of ‘good growth’ to our Region – through an exemplary company founded on green manufacturing processes that reduce waste and energy consumption, and help pave the way to a circular economy.
“Given those credentials and that potential, Apex represents a natural fit for our own vision in reshaping a South East Wales built on innovation, sustainability and the highest ambition.”
