A Co Antrim company is investing £8.2 million over the next five years in a new manufacturing facility and new equipment at its base in Crumlin. The project is expected to generate 86 jobs of which 30 are already in place.

Langford Lodge Engineering is making the investment as part of a strategic supply partnership with the UK firm Lucas Aerospace, to produce precision engineering components. Langford secured a sole supplier contract with Lucas earlier this year, which is estimated to be worth £20 million sterling over the next three years.

Langford's general manager Mr Jim Hill said that the contract was for the machining of end fittings for transmission on flap actuation systems fitted to the wings of Airbus aircraft. Mr Hills aid that it was a very significant endorsement of the company's engineering capabilities, and of its commitment to supply consistently high quality components.

"This investment involves the construction and fitting-out of a new manufacturing cell," he said. "It is a logical extension of a strategy we launched in 1989, to widen our customer base, and broaden the range of specialist sub-contract engineering services which we can offer existing and potential customers. By introducing new state-of-theart machining equipment and information technology systems, we will be able to combine greater manufacturing flexibility and versatility with quick response."

The president of Lucas Aerospace, Mr Ken Maciver, said that his company had been working closely with Langford Lodge Engineering to design the new supply cell.

The project is being supported by a grant of £600,000 from the IDB. The agency's chief executive Mr Bruce Robinson said that it would enable Langford Lodge to compete for other business in the aerospace industry.