Mexico's Local, State and Federal government present an appreciation award to GKN Aerospace at Farnborough Air show

Employment at GKN Aerospace, Mexico, grows to 5 times the 2002 workforce. Operation moves to a new facility to meet the growth plan to 2012.

At the Farnborough Airshow today State and Federal economic development offices of Baja California and Mexico presented an appreciation award to GKN Aerospace recognising the success of Company's Mexicali operation and its contribution to the Mexican economy and
workforce.

When it was established over 6 years ago, the Mexicali site was a 20,000ft2 facility employing 25 personnel. By early 2007, the plant had more than doubled in size to 48,000ft2, employment had risen to 130 personnel, and the operation had reached maximum production capacity, exceeding all growth, quality and delivery targets.
Today Mexicali delivers around 1200 components per month and the business is set to move to a new 155,000 ft2 facility to support future growth plans including an increasing turnover in aerospace machining, forming, composites and engine products.

Marcus Bryson, Chief Executive Officer, GKN Aerospace commented: "We have many facilities worldwide and among these our Mexicali base plays a vital role in our strategic plans for the long term. The skills we are developing in our Mexico team, along with their commitment and sustained performance, help us provide consistently high quality components whilst maintaining a very competitive cost to our customers."

In recognition of the role GKN Aerospace is playing in the growth of the aerospace industry in Mexico, Jose Gabriel Posada Gallego, Secretary of Economic Development in the State of Baja California commented: "Today, we mark our appreciation of the contribution this company has made to the in bringing new skills and employment to the Mexican economy and population. There are 140 aerospace companies operating in Mexico, employing more than 20,000 people - and GKN Aerospace is one of the few companies in entire Mexico and the only one in the State of Baja California machining large components for aerospace turbine engines. The success of the site clearly demonstrates the difference the Mexican operation can make in the highly competitive global aerospace market. We encourage other major aerospace manufacturers and investors to support operations in Mexico"

Located at the U.S. border in the State of Baja, California, the Mexicali plant currently manufactures engine fan cases, containment cases, fan ducts and shroud assemblies for internal GKN Aerospace customers and major aero-engine primes such as Honeywell, GE, Pratt and Whitney, Rolls-Royce and Allison. The operation is certified in Aerospace AS9100 and approved by Pratt& Witney as Source Control Supplier (SCS) and Delegate Quality Control Representative (DQCR).

Attending the ceremony representing the Mexican Government and State of Baja, California were: Mario Juarez (Chief of the office of States, Federal Government and Investor Relations) Jose Gabriel Posada Gallego (Secretary of Economic Development for the State of Baja California), Eugenio Lagarde Amaya (Undersecretary of Economic Development for the State of Baja California), Fernando Franco (Director of Investment Promotion for the State of Baja California), Guillermo Quintana Soto (Director of Marketing and Project for PIMSA Industrial Developer Group).

GKN Aerospace is the aerospace operation of GKN plc (LSE:GKN), one of the world's largest engineering companies. GKN Aerospace serves a global customer base with some 8500 personnel operating in North and South America, Australia, the Asia Pacific and Europe and offering 24 hour 'follow the sun' engineering. With sales of GBP1bn (USD2bn), the business is focused around three major product areas - aerostructures, propulsion systems and transparencies, plus a number of specialist product areas - electro-thermal ice protection, fuel and flotation systems, and bullet resistant glass. The business is equally split along military and civil lines with participation on all major aircraft programmes today exceeding USD1m per ship set. GKN Aerospace is a major supplier of complex composite structures; offers one of the most comprehensive capabilities in high performance metallics processing and is the world leading supplier of cockpit transparencies and passenger cabin windows.