Rochester aerospace firm Aeromet lands dozen jobs thanks to £1m grant
Business minister Michael
Fallon (right) visits Aeromet in Rochester
by Rebecca Hughes
A dozen jobs will be created at an aerospace firm in Rochester
thanks to a government grant of more than £1million.
Business minister Michael Fallon today visited Aeromet, in Laker
Road, to announce the grant.
The company, which produces aluminium castings for the aerospace
industry, has been given the money from the government's Regional
Growth Fund (RGF) to pay for a research and development project to
build its patented aluminium alloy A20X.
The investment is expected to create up to 38 jobs across its
three sites in Rochester, Sittingbourne and Worcester – with a
third of these in Medway.
Speaking at Aeromet and seeing where the aluminium castings are
made, Mr Fallon said: "Today's announcement is great news for
Aeromet in what could be a game changer for the industry.
"For me this project underlines the importance of supporting
advanced manufacturing and innovation through the Regional Growth
Fund – it creates jobs and acts as an important lever for bringing
in skills and expertise.
"I'm proud that a small Kent company is part of a great success
story.
"Next time you fly you can be very proud that this company is
supplying so many parts of the next generation of air buses."
Alan Dustan, Aeromet's commercial director, added: "Without the
RGF Funding the project would either have been delayed for a number
of years or not proceeded at all. However, with the funding we can
continue the research, support the three Aeromet sites and their
supply chains as well as creating over 30 new positions."
Aeroment, which specialises in the production of components for
the aerospace industry, supplies companies including Airbus, Boeing
and BAE Systems.
It employs 245 staff across its three sites, with roughly 80
employees working in Rochester.
15/02/13
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