Plans to build a new 4x4 vehicle plant in Wales have been put on hold by the firm Ineos.
The company said it follows talks with Mercedes-Benz over the acquiring of their Hambach site in Moselle, France.
The Wales plant would have been built next to the current Ford engine plant at Bridgend, which is to shut this autumn with the loss of 1,700 jobs.
Economy Minister Ken Skates said it would be "a real blow if Ineos reneged on its very public commitment".
"I have told the CEO that abandoning Bridgend at this late stage, after so much effort and money has been invested in preparing the site, would be a terrible decision for Wales and the UK," said Mr Skates.
"We have impressed on the company in no uncertain terms the importance of honouring its commitment to Wales and to deliver on its promise to build a British icon here in Britain."
The new factory was expected to create about 200 jobs initially to make the new all-terrain Grenadier vehicle.
It was hoped it could employ up to 500 people in the longer-term, and work to clear ground at the site had already begun.
Work on another site in Portugal has also been suspended.
"Some new options, such as this one with the plant in Hambach, have opened up that were simply not available to us previously," said Dirk Heilmann, the chief executive of Ineos Automotive.
"We are therefore having another look - and reviewing whether the addition of two new manufacturing facilities is the right thing to do in the current environment."
Mercedes-Benz put the Daimler car assembly plant in France up for sale last week.
It was dedicated to its smart car, called the EQ fortwo, which has been recently developed and is a similar size to the Grenadier.
Ineos said it made the location "ideally suited" to the Grenadier.
The company said Covid-19 had also had an impact on its building schedule for the new plants.
"Safety is of course paramount, but we also have an obligation to do what is right for the business - and so need to assess these new opportunities in order to maintain or improve on our timelines," said the Ineos Automotive chief.
Bridgend MP Dr James Wallis said he was "disappointed" by the announcement, and said it was a "massive blow" to the local economy and the economy of Wales.
"I have already spoken to the Wales Office and I am seeking urgent clarification about the implications of the future plant in Bridgend from Ineos and what more can be done from both governments at either end of the M4," he said.
"We need to do all we can to get the work back on track and secure this investment for workers and families in Bridgend."
The Bridgend Senedd member, and former First Minister, Carwyn Jones said he was "always sceptical" and remained to be convinced "Ineos was ever serious about this investment".
He added: "It's incredible that a company that was so pro-Brexit appears to have taken the decision at the first opportunity to invest in a manufacturing site in the single market."
Ineos said it expected to complete its review of building options "in the next few weeks".
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2020-07-07 12:20:36Z
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