Mayor Dave Hodgson visits Leidos at Bedford Link Park

Mayor Dave Hodgson visited Leidos at the company's new facility on Bedford Link Park.

Leidos is a US-owned multi-national with five key lines of businesses: civil, defence, health, intelligence, and Dynetics. They are a technology-driven business with this Bedford facility focusing on a number of high-value business sectors, including integrated systems, robotics, baggage, and people screening technologies.

Leidos invested in the new facility at Bedford Link Park in Kempston just as the COVID-19 pandemic commenced, so this was the first opportunity for the Mayor to visit the facility. He was shown around by the Chief Executive of Leidos UK and Europe Simon Fovargue, and Chris Greenleaf, Managing Director - General Automation Division.

Mayor Dave Hodgson said "It is really valuable to have this high-value business joining the local business community at Bedford Link Park in Kempston. Not only have they brought investment and high skilled employment, but this facility will also act as a catalyst, attracting more business investment and high-value jobs from high-value sectors into the area, against the backdrop of the emerging Oxford Cambridge Arc. Bedford Borough has a rich mix of businesses from a variety of sectors, with a number of high value companies employing highly skilled personnel to undertake complex and innovative commercial operations. Leidos are joining a local business community which includes Unilever, the Aircraft Research Association, Hybrid Air Vehicles, Fujifilm, Swiss Precision Diagnostic and Mologic amongst many more high-value Bedford Borough employers. My thanks goes to Simon, Chris, and the Bedford team for showing me round the facility and enabling me to have the opportunity to see first-hand the ground-breaking work they are undertaking."

Chris Greenleaf, Managing Director - General Automation Division at Leidos said "It was a great pleasure to host Dave in our new Leidos UK Aviation & Automation Centre of Excellence. Collaboration and appreciation of cooperative objectives with our immediate community enables Leidos to provide a positive impact. We recognise the value of progressive and forward thinking relationships and with our capability to service not only global but also local markets we look forward to making a positive impact in Bedford and beyond."