Boost for UK engineering as Clegg announces new jobs and investments

The announcements were made during Clegg's keynote at the opening of the British Business Embassy, a series of 17 business summits organised by the government to coincide with the Olympic Games. Today's focus is on advanced engineering excellence, with senior representatives from companies such as Airbus, Bombardier, Jaguar Land Rover, JCB, McLaren Racing, Nissan, Rolls-Royce, Siemens, Atkins, GKN and Spirit AeroSystems participating in panel-led discussions about the strength of the UK as a trading partner and the investment location of choice. Clegg used his opening speech to announce that two major aerospace companies, US owned Tbilisi Aircraft Manufacturing and Market-Mats, from the Ukraine, have signed an exclusivity agreement to locate their advanced manufacturing campuses in Herefordshire, a move that could create 1,000 jobs. Meanwhile, engineering group GKN said it plans to invest £12million in two of its facilities in Birmingham and Telford, while Airbus has revealed that it will recruit 169 apprentices and graduates in September, in addition to taking on around 600 new UK employees during 2012. "The skills and expertise of British businesses are gold medal standard and highly sought after across the world," said Clegg. "The UK is one of the top ten manufacturers in the world. Our manufacturing sector is a national success story and lies right at the heart of our strategy for economic recovery and growth. "The announcements being made today will create and safeguard jobs and stimulate growth. They are a welcome boost to British business and a vote of confidence in the UK."