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North East Partners Welcome Lord Mandelson Announcement
Regional Development Agency One North East, Tyne and Wear Development Company and Sunderland City Council today welcomed the £45m Government support for research and development work on more fuel-efficient, lower-carbon aero engines.
Business Secretary Lord Mandelson also welcomed the commitment of Rolls-Royce to build a new aero-engine disc facility in Washington.
Speaking at a Rolls-Royce Advanced Manufacturing Exhibition, Lord Mandelson said: “The knowledge, skills and high-end production the UK offers give us huge opportunities to benefit as global demand for low carbon products grows.
“These new projects will help our world class aerospace industry to meet that growing low carbon demand. Rolls-Royce represents some of the best of British advanced manufacturing. Its plans to site a new factory in the North East underline the company’s commitment to British manufacturing excellence.”
Margaret Fay, Chairman of One North East, said: "This announcement is a further boost for the region's economy and for our worldwide reputation for excellence in advanced manufacturing.
"One North East, Tyne and Wear Development Company and Sunderland City Council have together been working to support Rolls Royce and we are delighted to see the company's ongoing commitment to its Wearside operation."
Jim Malloy from Tyne and Wear Development Company said: “We are delighted with Rolls-Royce’s decision to maintain its long standing relationship with the region through the creation of a genuinely world class manufacturing facility on Wearside.
“The regional partnership of One North East , Sunderland City Council and ourselves have worked closely with Rolls Royce over the past year to establish what will be one of the company’s flagship sites globally, here in Washington.”
“This is a good example of the public and private sectors working together for the good of the region.”
Councillor Paul Watson, Leader of Sunderland City Council, said: "The City Council has worked closely with Rolls-Royce on its future requirements.
"We're very proud of the world class industries and businesses that are based in our city and the Rolls-Royce decision to build a new hi-tech manufacturing plant in Washington is great news."
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