Amazon Web Services understood to be looking to acquire former Ford engine plant in Bridgend

One of the world’s biggest data centre companies, Amazon Web Services, is in negotiations to acquire the former Ford engine plant in Bridgend.

While a deal has yet to be agreed it is understood that the site’s existing electricity connection to the National Grid, with data centres requiring secure and significant energy sources, has made it an attractive proposition as part of Amazon Web Services’ strategy of ramping up its capacity in the UK. Data centres provide critical IT services to customers. Amazon Web Services is part of the wider US e-commerce giant group Amazon.

The freehold interest in the site has been marketed on behalf of Ford by property advisory after CBRE. The firm was appointed after Ford ceased engine production after 40 years in 2020. Just off the M4 motorway the engine plant extends to 1.7 million sq ft. The total land site covers just over 158 acres.

If a deal is done, Amazon Web Services would build a new data centre, which could see the existing main building demolished. In line with its sustainability goals it could look to provide some of the energy requirements for a data centre with investment in renewable technology at the site, including wind and solar. There is current a small amount of renewable infrastructure at the site which was used by Ford.

The US company announced in 2019 a commitment to seeing its operations with 100% renewable energy by 2030, but that is now on track to being achieved 2025.

Asked if it was looking to acquire the Ford engine plant a spokesperson for Amazon said: “We are unable to comment on rumour and speculation.”

Amazon has a major distribution centre employing several thousand in Swansea. Across all its businesses Amazon has a workforce of more than 60,000 in the UK alone.