Welsh Economic Development and Transport Minister Andrew Davies has announced that funding has been approved for the £10 million 'Auto Technium' automotive performance engineering incubator project - and that Ford is to base its Rally Academy in Wales next year.

The Minister said £4.1m funding from European Objective One funds and £2.5m from the WDA, via the Welsh Assembly Government, meant construction of the £10 million Auto Technium business innovation centre at Llanelli Gate could now go ahead. Auto Technium is an integral part of the Welsh Motorsport Initiative and will be the hub for high performance engineering and automotive business development. Davies said Auto Technium would be a centre for R&D projects and provide contract research for companies as well as technical consultancy and trouble-shooting. It will provide state-of-the-art R&D incubator units for companies wishing to develop new technologies and processes.