North: Jobs boost as aero engineering firm expands

The recovery of the aircraft industry from crisis times after the 9/11 attacks gave a specialist Co Down engineering company the confidence today to announce the doubling of its workforce as part of a multi-million pound expansion plan.

Greyabbey-based John Huddleston Engineering has embarked on the £6.7m (€9.75m) investment programme to strengthen its position as a supplier of aircraft components to the global aerospace industry.

The company plans to create an additional 46 highly skilled engineering jobs, raising its workforce at the site to 99.

Established in 1964, the company is a supplier of high-precision machined parts to the defence and oil industries as well as the aerospace companies.

Clients include Airbus, BAE Systems, Bombardier Shorts, GKN Aerospace and Hughes Christensen.

The Government’s Invest Northern Ireland business agency is providing £1.5m (€2.2m) in support towards the investment – the largest in the company’s history.

Announcing the investment, managing director Robert Huddleston said: “The aerospace industry is now recovering strongly from the depths of 9/11 and is entering a period of sustained growth.

“This investment will enable us to globally market JHE to new clients through the provision of high-quality products that our customers need for the raft of newly designed aircraft emerging from the business sector.”

Invest NI’s Kevin McCann said the project represented an historic moment for the continued development of JHE as it sought to expand its exporting capability.

He added: “I am confident that, by focusing on differentiating itself in terms of machining capability and supply chain management, the company will ensure its continued profitable growth.”

With the introduction of new high-speed machines, JHE will be able to handle larger and more complex contracts, allowing the company to remain at the forefront of innovative product development within the aerospace sector.