Advancing UK Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space Solutions Worldwide
  • Home
  • /
  • Features
  • /
  • PM marks Thales' 125th anniversary in the UK by opening its Glasgow vehicle integration facility

Features

PM marks Thales' 125th anniversary in the UK by opening its Glasgow vehicle integration facility

Thales UK's Glasgow site yesterday hosted a visit from the Prime Minister, David Cameron, to help celebrate the company's 125th anniversary in the UK, with the PM officially opening a new vehicle integration facility at the site that will primarily upgrade vehicles for the UK armed forces but also for potential export customers.

Above: David Cameron at Thales UK, Glasgow.
© Alan McAteer 2013

Thales UK’s Glasgow facility yesterday hosted a visit from the Prime Minister, David Cameron, to help celebrate the company’s 125th anniversary in the UK, with the PM officially opening a new vehicle integration facility at the site that will primarily upgrade vehicles for the UK armed forces but also for potential export customers.

Advertisement
Farsound RT 2
Advertisement
Marshall RT 2


 
The visit was hosted by Jean-Bernard Levy, Thales Group’s chairman, Victor Chavez, chief executive of Thales UK and Alex Cresswell, head of the new Land & Air Systems global business unit. These Thales leaders were able to brief Mr Cameron about Thales.
 
The Prime Minister’s visit to Thales followed a trip to the Royal Navy’s submarine facility at Faslane, where he had been onboard HMS Victorious.
 
In his welcoming address Mr Cameron said: “It was great to visit Thales and I want to wish the company a very happy 125th birthday. Earlier today I was winched from a helicopter onto HMS Victorious, one of our Trident nuclear submarines. One of the things I did on that submarine was look through the incredible periscope made by Thales to scan the horizon. It was an incredible piece of equipment and a signal of the brilliance of this company and this organisation.”
 
The Prime Minister also expressed his support for the continuation of Anglo-French defence and cooperation, which is welcomed by Thales. Thales is one of only a few companies that have significant defence industrial footprints in both countries, and already uses these to deliver added value through the pull-through and reuse of technology across national boundaries.
 
Some 700 of Thales UK’s 7,500 work force are based at the Glasgow site, which designs and manufactures world-leading electro-optic night vision systems and equipment for all three UK Armed Services. The site is also home to a contingent of transport specialists that work on communications and safety systems.
 
Victor Chavez said: “Thales is deeply proud of our heritage and our 125-year contribution to the UK engineering scene, which was born here in Glasgow in 1888 with Barr & Stroud Ltd. Innovation, technology and security were at the heart of the business then, and 125 years later Thales is still providing the cutting-edge technology that keeps UK forces safe in the field of conflict.
 
“Our UK operations have a long history of innovation and partnership with our key customers in our core markets of aerospace, defence, security and transport. We are honoured that the Prime Minister has joined us today to share our celebrations.”
 
Thales is an important source of high-tech, high-skill employment in the region. Some 30% of employees at the Glasgow facility are engineers and scientists. The site also has an active graduate and apprenticeship programme, with disciplines including electrical and mechanical engineering.
 
In 2011 the Glasgow optronics business was awarded a Queens Award for Enterprise for our achievements in exports. The award underlines our leading role in supporting both the UK’s defence industrial capability and the UK’s competitive position in the export market.
 

Advertisement
Advanced Navigation LB 1
Securing military connectivity in contested environments

Features

Securing military connectivity in contested environments

14 March 2024

Tristan Wood, founder of Livewire Digital, explores the power of hybrid networking and how it can underpin robust wide area networks across all arms and services, from land, sea and air.

Defining data-centric security in complex future warfare

Features

Defining data-centric security in complex future warfare

1 March 2024

John Dix, Land Communications, Thales, considers the role of data-centric security and evolving soldier systems integration, in complex future warfare.

Is Just in Time a thing of the past?

Features

Is Just in Time a thing of the past?

1 February 2024

Paul Adams, aerospace and defence sector specialist at Vendigital, explains why Just in Time production is unlikely to make a comeback anytime soon.

Could R&D tax reform have consequences for A&D supply chains?

Features

Could R&D tax reform have consequences for A&D supply chains?

11 January 2024

Jenny Tragner, Director and Head of Policy at ForrestBrown, looks at why R&D tax reform could have unintended consequences for aerospace and defence (A&D) supply chains.

Advertisement
Farsound RT 2
Busting automation myths and embracing robots

Features

Busting automation myths and embracing robots

13 December 2023

Carl Patrick, Robot Sales Manager – Machine Tool Automation at FANUC UK, busts some of the myths surrounding greater automation and explains why we should be embracing robots.

Dealing with a supplier SOS

Features

Dealing with a supplier SOS

6 November 2023

Paul Adams, Director and aerospace & defence sector specialist at Vendigital, highlights the ways in which OEMs and their suppliers can proactively address critical supply chain risks.

Advertisement
Advanced Navigation RT