His Majesty was welcomed by the site’s Managing Director, Rob Wilson, as well as key representatives from Sony including President and CEO of Sony Corporation, Kimio Maki; Senior Executive Vice President of Sony Group Corporation, Kazushi Ambe; President of Sony Europe B.V., Masashi Takiguchi and Aki Matsuzawa, CFO of Sony Europe B.V.
As the longest-standing Japanese manufacturer in Wales, the visit marked five decades of Sony in Wales, after The King, as the Prince of Wales, played an instrumental role in encouraging the global company to invest in Wales in the early 1970s, going on to officially open the company’s first site in Bridgend in 1974.
During his visit to the site, His Majesty was taken on a tour of the 20,000 m2 state-of-the art facility and shown how the site’s commitment to innovation, community and excellence in manufacturing and technology has developed in the 50 years it has been present in Wales.
He met some of the site’s 600-strong team and was shown its world-renowned manufacturing processes and third-party manufacturing businesses.,
His Majesty also completed the 30,000th High-Definition Camera unit produced by the site, celebrating yet another proud milestone for Sony and Welsh manufacturing.
The Sony journey in Wales began in 1974 in Bridgend. The site commenced manufacturing Colour Televisions, inspired by conversations between His Majesty and Co-Founder of Sony, Akio Morita (KBE) during a visit to Japan.
In 1993, Sony Pencoed was opened by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, and it now produces professional Sony HD and 4K broadcast equipment for customers worldwide.
Repatriating Raspberry Pi manufacturing in 2012 invigorated the local economy and generated hundreds of job opportunities. To date, the facility has produced 50 million Raspberry Pi units and currently serves several other third-party clients with its contract manufacturing capabilities.
Over the decades, Sony UK TEC has grown and adapted to the dynamic manufacturing and technology landscape, evolving into a hub for cutting-edge manufacturing. The site has won numerous prestigious awards, including several Queen’s Awards for Export and Environment, Britain’s Best Factory Award, two national Make UK awards for Developing Future Talent and Innovation, and most recently, the Green Dragon Environmental Standard Level 5 Award.
Through the Sony Wales Academy, launched onsite in 2014, the company integrates apprentices, graduates, and learners into its workforce while engaging thousands of pupils through its school visit programme. These initiatives have successfully integrated 55 Higher Apprentices and 36 Graduates and supported 56 Sony learners in their pursuit of higher education. Its school visit programme has captivated over 31,000 primary and secondary students to date.
Notably, all procured electricity is green and renewable. Additionally, its on-site environmental centre hosts nine colonies of honeybees, with volunteer staff trained in beekeeping by Bridgend Beekeepers. Honey produced by the hives is sold in the staff restaurant, with proceeds donated to local charities.
The King’s visit to Sony UK TEC to celebrate its significant 50 and 30-year milestones is just one of the company’s celebrations during its anniversary year. Other celebrations include its annual long service awards, recognising team players who have accumulated over 1,100 years of dedicated service, a team-building day for its 600 staff where they collaboratively created a commemorative 50/30 piece to display onsite, and a family day for employees paying homage to the site's Welsh and Japanese heritage.
Managing Director of Sony UK TEC, Rob Wilson commented: “We are now in our 50th year of Sony in Wales. It is a true honour and a privilege to have The King on site to join in with our celebrations, having played such an instrumental role in our journey. We are also honoured to welcome esteemed members of the Sony global leadership team for this special event.
“I am incredibly proud of our achievements, which are a testament to the dedication and hard work of our exceptional team. Our journey has been one of innovation and collaboration, supported by the wider Sony family. Having been with the company since 1989, I've had the privilege of witnessing the remarkable growth and transformation of our Pencoed facility. While we celebrate our milestones, we remain committed to reaching new heights and are deeply grateful for the unwavering support of our customers, partners, and suppliers."
