GKN (www.gkn.com) has announced an £11 million investment in its East Cowes site over the next two years.

The facility has been a fixture on the Isle of Wight for 100 years, and it has been owned by GKN Aerospace for the past 25 years.

In order to focus the site on advanced com-posite production, a number of non-core processes and some loss-making work will leave, but GKN said it is not looking at job losses.

General manager Garry Hernes said: “This investment is great news for the site. It will help us focus on the complex and specialist work we are really good at, and it will ensure that we are fit for the future.

“It will also mean that the Isle of Wight retains its place at the forefront of advanced aerospace systems and that GKN Aerospace will continue to underpin the island’s economy and employment for years to come.”

GKN Aerospace also confirmed that it will transform its Composite Research Centre on the island into a Technology Insertion Centre in order to reduce the time from technology breakthroughs to high-rate production.

It will ensure that the latest composite technology developments — drawn from its network of global technology centres — are smoothly integrated into the East Cowes manufacturing site, allowing it to offer unique solutions for customers.

Mr Hernes said: “The global aerospace industry is highly competitive, with customers always looking for price reductions and the rates on some key platforms declining.

"This puts real pressure on sites like East Cowes, so we need to make sure we are ready for the next 25 years — and more.

“Being able to take the best technology from GKN Aerospace’s global footprint and then smoothly integrate it into our complex manufacturing environment here in East Cowes can put us in a great position to not just survive, but to thrive and grow.”

GKN Aerospace has 50 sites in 15 countries and employs 17,000 people around the world, including 1,000 on the Isle of Wight, which makes it the island’s largest private employer.