A North Wales trailer firm that attracted Hollywood superstars Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds supports 10,000 jobs worldwide it has been revealed.

The firm, Ifor Williams Trailers (IWT), employs 650 people directly and aids an economic eco system of contractors, suppliers and more than 120 distributors across the UK and across the world to as far as Australia and New Zealand.

IWT caught Hollywood's attention when Mr McElhenney and Mr Reynolds bought Wrexham AFC, a football club sponsored by the company since 2016.

The actors launched their takeover with a comedic video in which they gave a spoof sakes pitch for one of IWT's horseboxes, amassing over five million views within a week.

Ken Skates, the MS for Clwyd South and the Welsh Government’s Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport, expressed the significance of IWT to Wales during a visit to the firm.

He said it was "difficult to exaggerate how important the business is to the economy of Wales."

The firm operates six factories in Denbighshire and Deeside, has strong links with contractors.

During Mr Skates' visit, he met with Alan Jones, owner of the building and maintenance firm T.G. Jones Llety, which has worked with IWT for nearly four decades.

Mr Jones said: "It’s been a brilliant partnership for us because we have had so much work off them and we always do our utmost to provide the best service to Ifor Williams Trailers."

Pictured (Front L/R) Clwyd South MS Ken Skates who's also the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport of Wales with  IWT Managing Director John Williams , Iorwerth Roberts , Dei Hughes and Alan Jones  (Image: Supplied)

Another contractor, Dei Hughes, who has just celebrated his electrical services company, D A Hughes Electrical Services's 20th year, noted the positive effect of the trailer firm on local businesses.

Mr Hughes said: "Working for a company like this which is local and has regular work was a really good step forward for us and a sound base for our success."

Likewise, Iorwerth Roberts, who established his garage I and D Roberts in Cynwyd in 1997, has been working with IWT's vehicle fleet for 15 years and sung its praises.

Mr Roberts said: "It’s an honour for me, for the company and for the lads as well to work for a company with such a great reputation worldwide."

Mr Skates added: "It’s a great demonstration of the value of Ifor Williams Trailers to this part of Wales and I don’t think it’s possible to exaggerate how important this business is to the economy of Wales and particularly this part of Wales.

"It has such a major beneficial impact on our economy, the jobs market and crucially on our culture and our community.

"Ifor Williams Trailers is a world class company that’s flying the flag for Wales across the globe.

"It’s a flagship company that we can be immensely proud of and one that’s caught the imagination of the creativity of Hollywood even.

“Directly and indirectly supporting 10,000 jobs is something that very few Welsh businesses can boast of and that demonstrates the reach, depth and history of the business that’s rooted in Wales.”

John Williams, IWT managing director, hosted the visit and said: "As well as our direct workforce, the likes of Alan, Dei and Iorwerth and their teams have played a hugely important role in our success in building a global brand and flying the flag for Wales."