Leicestershire-based JJ Churchill (www.jjchurchill.com), an aerospace engineering specialist, is investing in another Starrag machining centre after winning a £70 million long-term contract with Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace for the continued supply of turbine blades.

The deal for the new machine — an LX051 five-axis machining centre designed specifically for the optimised manufacture of turbine blades — was struck on the Starrag stand at the Farnborough Airshow.

Matthew Heath, sales manager at JJ Churchill, said: “With the on-going growth, this additional machining centre will directly increase our capacity and widen our capability further.”

Based in Market Bosworth, JJ Churchill employs 150 people.

It manufactures high-precision gas turbine components for the aerospace industry, as well as components for high-horsepower diesel engines and assemblies for industrial and power generation applications.

The company is focused on resolving ‘sticky’ problems that require a high degree of technical and organisational skill.

It works in areas that often involve difficult geometries, difficult dimensions and challenging materials.