UPDATE: 1.06pm

Paul Murphy, Labour MP for Torfaen, said it was "great news for Torfaen" that Smartpipe Solutions particularly, are bringing highly skilled IT engineering jobs into the valley. It does mean we have got a diversity of job opportunities in Torfaen.

"The problem over the years is we have relied heavily on a couple of big industries, so the more varied employment is in Torfaen the better. “What this also does is show how successful the Welsh Government has been at attracting inward investment into Wales. “Although the unemployment rate has dropped, it doesn’t necessarily mean the type of jobs has improved. We want proper jobs like these – not jobs on zero hours contracts."

UPDATE: 12.12pm

John Griffiths, Labour AM for Newport East said: “I think it’s very, very good news, adding "they will be earning money which they will spend locally. I think there’s a strong sense that Newport is very much on the up now, that there’s a lot of momentum building. "

UPDATE: 12.08pm

Shadow Economy Minister Lib Dem Eluned Parrott AM welcomed the announcement, saying it was "good news for Newport, Cwmbran, Cardiff and the rest of South Wales" and that the investment was "a vote of confidence in the people of south Wales, where like elsewhere in the UK new private sector jobs are being created thanks to the work of Liberal Democrats in the UK Government".

UPDATE: 12.04pm

Torfaen AM Lynne Neagle welcomed the news saying: "It's fantastic to see good news for Cwmbran at the heart of today's announcement. This is a huge economic boost for Torfaen and it's great to see the Welsh Government supporting projects that are creating jobs locally."

St Dials Ward Independent Councillor, Elizabeth Haynes, said it was "excellent news for Torfaen", adding there have been a number of business closures in Torfaen and throughout Wales during the recession so it was "pleasing to see that firms are looking to invest in Cwmbran".

UPDATE: 12.01pm

Smartpipe Solutions, who will be bringing 44 jobs to Cwmbran, confirmed that the roles are all full time IT roles and they have started the recruitment process.

The company will be moving to a temporary base in Cwmbran in January at the Springboard Business Innovation Centre before moving into their permanent office in Llantarnam Park in April.

UPDATE: 11.55am

Chairman of Cwmbran Community Council councillor Steven Evans welcomed the news, saying: “I am delighted at this important jobs boost for Cwmbran.”

Cwmbran Shopping Centre Manager Paul Rich added: “It’s fantastic news that both these London based companies have chosen Cwmbran as a location to expand their business. I’m sure it won’t be too difficult for both employers to find eager, service orientated and helpful staff in the Torfaen area.”

On the eve of the UK Investment Summit Wales 2014 at the Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, the First Minister Carwyn Jones has announced six new investment projects which are receiving Welsh Government support to create more than 1,100 new, high quality jobs for Wales.

They include the creation of more than 300 new jobs over the next 12 months in Cwmbran by London-based Griffin Place Communications, a new contact centre outsourcer.

The First Minister said:“Inward investment to Wales is at record levels. These six projects are creating a very significant number of new, high quality jobs for Wales.

“There’s nothing we can’t do in Wales and that’s what I’ll be telling international investors tomorrow. They won’t just have to take my word for it – today’s announcements are the latest in a steady stream of new and existing investors who continue to choose Wales.” 

The other projects are:

London-based Smartpipe Solutions is establishing a software development and research centre in Cwmbran in a Welsh-Government supported investment of over £10m that will create 44 highly skilled IT engineering jobs;

SPTS Technologies, an Orbotech Welsh anchor company, has been awarded a Welsh Government R&D grant towards a  three-year research project to develop advanced wafer processing solutions for high growth Advanced Packaging applications in the manufacture of the latest generation of integrated circuits and micro electro mechanical systems. The project will create 30 full-time R&D roles at Newport.

Global packaging firm Essentra, a FTSE 250 company, opens a new 52,000 sq ft purpose-built packaging manufacturing facility at Imperial Park in Newport tomorrow (Friday November 21), creating more than 20 new jobs;

International business advisory firm Deloitte is set to create up to 700 jobs as it prepares to diversify and expand its business operations Centre of Excellence in the Central Cardiff Enterprise Zone;

Raytheon is re-investing and expanding its Special Mission Aircraft facility at its Broughton site on Deeside Enterprise Zone, which will become the HQ for the Airborne Solutions business. The c.£1m investment, which is backed by Welsh Government business finance, will create a Centre of Excellence for design and programme management for UK and international customers, as well as R&D activities that will create  50 highly-skilled jobs. 

The First Minister said:  “Wales has become the first choice for more and more companies. Today’s announcements are further evidence that Wales is a leading location for companies wishing to expand their business. We operate in a global market and there is global competition for these projects. These companies could have been located anywhere in the world and I am happy to say they all chose to come to Wales.

“It is a clear endorsement that Wales can deliver and businesses clearly acknowledge this. We have the skills, the infrastructure, the expertise and the backing of the Welsh Government to support business growth.

“We have supported each of these new investment projects as a business-friendly government that works with industry and proactively encourages and supports inward investment.

“On the eve of  the UK Investment Summit Wales 2014 I couldn’t wish for a better advertisement for Welsh skills and success as we promote Wales as the location of choice for investors. “