Waunarlwydd was the home of an aluminium rolling operation owned by US company
Alcoa. Alcoa announced in November 2006 that it would close the plant by the end of March 2007, with the loss of 298 jobs. Decommissioning works are now taking place, while a small workforce is still employed in homogenisation, where heat treatment takes place for the
Kitts Green plant.
TIMET, the world's largest supplier of titanium metals, is now the major employer in the village, with the mill one of four European locations. There are 3 nursing homes: Ashgrove House, Tŷ Waunarlwydd and Tŷ Victoria. There are two pubs in the village, the Masons Arms and the newly re-opened Farmers Arms, both located on Swansea Road. The club house for the rugby club is on Roseland Road. The old Village Inn (previously called the Domino) pub closed but was converted into the Grill House restaurant.There was a pub called The Lamb and Flag which was converted into a B&B in 1983 and then converted into a care home 1987. The Bird in Hand & Colliers Arms were 2 more pubs. ==Schools==