Airbus has announced a major investment of 150 million pounds (over 200 million dollars) to transform its facility in Broughton, Wales, from a site that produced wings for the A380 aircraft to one focused on the A321. This change is part of a broader effort to increase the production rate of the A320 family of aircraft, with the A321 currently making up the majority of customer orders. The A321 is the largest and most in-demand model in the A320 family, particularly in its newer, more fuel-efficient versions like the A321LR and A321XLR, which are used on busy routes and some transatlantic flights. The investment was officially announced on September 21. Construction has already begun, with the first wing for the A321 in production and six assembly units expected to be ready by the end of the year. The site will also get a wing equipment line and a painting workshop to support the increased output. Airbus says this expansion is needed to fulfill an order book of about 7,500 aircraft from the A320 family, with nearly 75% of those being A321 models. Wings are a key component of aircraft assembly, designed and built in the UK before being sent to final assembly lines in Toulouse, Hamburg, Mobile, and Tianjin. Airbus aims to reach a production rate of 75 A320 aircraft per month by the end of 2027, with a goal of stabilizing at that rate afterward. Converting an existing facility built for the A380 program allows the company to boost capacity without starting from scratch. Jerome Blandin, director of Airbus Wing, said the project is not just about increasing output but also about building the necessary infrastructure to sustain it. He noted that an A320 family aircraft takes off or lands every two seconds globally, with wings designed and made in the UK. The investment will create around 480 new jobs at the Broughton site, which already employs about 6,000 people. Of these, 250 will be directly linked to the upgraded plant. Airbus says this is a long-term commitment to Wales and the UK aerospace industry. The Unite union praised the announcement, with a representative, Rhys McCarthy, calling it a positive step for workers at Airbus. This follows the start of expansion work at Airbus’s Belfast site in August, aimed at boosting A220 production to 13 units per month by 2028. The shift away from the A380, which was last delivered in 2021, reflects a strategic move by Airbus to focus on more profitable programs. The A320 family, especially the A321, has become a key part of the company’s strategy, meeting growing demand for efficient, single-aisle aircraft in both high-density and medium-haul markets.