THE Japanese electronics giant Fujitsu is creating an extra 100 new jobs at its west Belfast plant, Mr John McGuckian, chairman of the Industrial Development Board (IDB) has announced.

This is further good news for jobs starved west Belfast. Two weeks ago the Korean engineering firm, YG-1, announced it was creating 230 jobs in Poleglass while this week there were reports that a further 1,000 jobs are in the pipeline, to be shared between west Belfast and Monkstown, on the outskirts of north Belfast.

Fujitsu Telecommunications Europe Limited, a major subsidiary of Fujitsu, is expanding its Springvale operation in west Belfast by introducing new product ranges involving higher technology skills and expertise.

Its existing £3.6 million investment project at Springvale is already on target to create 100 jobs by July. This new £7.6 million investment will mean that Fujitsu's employees in west Belfast will have doubled to 200 by the end of next year according to the IDB.

The latest investment brings Fujitsu's total investment in the North, since 1992 to over £14 million. It also operates a plant at Antrim Technology Park, employing 65 people in the repair of telecommunications equipment.

"This new development is important riot only because it provides a welcome jobs boost in an area of high unemployment, but because it underlines the confidence of one of the world's leading high technology firms in the skills and adaptability of the Northern Ireland workforce," said Mr McGuckian.

The expansion which the IDB is supporting with grant aid of £2.95 million will entail Fujitsu transferring from a 15,000 sq ft IDB advance factory to a new 50,000 sq ft purpose built plant nearby in Springvale Business Park.

Mr Tim Pickup, managing director of Fujitsu Telecommunications Europe Limited said he believed that the company's west Belfast operation had a bright future.

"Continued success here will send out powerful signals worldwide that Northern Ireland is an excellent base for this type of industry," he said.

The Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, while welcoming the new jobs, said that Fujitsu should "accede to the union request for workers' wages in Belfast to be raised to the same level as those enjoyed by workers at its Birmingham headquarters".

The Fujitsu project was also welcomed by the cross community Phoenix West Belfast Development Trust.