A SUPERSONIC car is making a ‘guest’ appearance at the official opening of a Chepstow-based company’s new facility.

The Bloodhound SSC car was designed to break the 1,000mph barrier and create a new world land speed record, and will visit REID Lifting’s £4m facility later this week.

Chepstow-based REID Lifting specialises in manufacturing a range of lightweight portable lifting equipment, and designed and made a bespoke gantry lifting system for the vehicle to enable the Bloodhound team to work on all areas of the supersonic car.

REID Lifting has close links with the project, with two of their engineers volunteering as Bloodhound STEM ambassadors visiting local schools to talk about the project.

They aim to inspire the next generation about science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Pupils from Wyedean School and Thornwell Primary will be given a special preview of the supersonic car and a tour of the new factory.

This will be ahead of the international sales conference for REID’s overseas customers and distributors tomorrow (15th June), followed by the official opening on Friday (16th June).

The Welsh Government is providing £680,000 business finance towards the company’s new 45,000 sq ft facility on Newhouse Farm Industrial Estate.

The investment and expansion has already created 23 high quality jobs, bringing the headcount to 44.

Economy Secretary Ken Skates said: “I am delighted the Welsh Government is supporting this important expansion project which has already created a significant number of new jobs locally.

“I also applaud their work with local schools encouraging the take up of STEM subjects and wish the company every success in the future.”

Managing Director Nick Battersby said: “The investment in the facilities and the company’s future is already paying dividends with significantly increased capacity, shorter lead times and a highly motivated workforce.

“We are very proud to be able to show off our premises to our international partners, suppliers and local community.”

The company has seen a 50 per cent growth in sales in the last few years, and has forecast growth of 25 per cent in the coming year.

The increased capacity of the facility is enabling the company to meet the growing demand for its products which have been used to lift and move priceless artefacts at the Vatican, the Louvre and the British Museum.