º£½ÇÊÓÆµ

Oops.

Our website is temporarily unavailable in your location.

We are working hard to get it back online.

PRIVACY
Manufacturing

Talk over EU exit is already hurting us, GKN boss claims

Nigel Stein, chief executive of the Midland engineering giant, said the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ would be at risk of losing investment if it lost its position of influence in European policymaking

British and EU flags

The boss of FTSE100 firm GKN has has warned an exit from the European Union would be “deeply harmful” – and says the issue is already affecting inward investment.

Nigel Stein, chief executive of the Midland engineering giant, said the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ would be at risk of losing investment if it lost its position of influence in European policymaking.

The firm is a global market leader in the design and manufacture of aircraft assemblies, components and advanced electrical systems, and employs hundreds of people across the region.

Mr Stein said: “From a GKN perspective the prospect of the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ talking itself into an exit from the EU would be deeply harmful to our industries, where we are part of a European footprint, not a country in isolation.

“Competition for investment is intense. And if there is one thing investors hate, it’s uncertainty. Be sure, even now the uncertainty over the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ’s position in Europe is being used against us.”

GKN supplies specialised parts to the car and aerospace industries across the world.

Redditch-headquartered GKN employs more than 700 people at its Driveline operation in Erdington, making propshafts and sideshafts for 1.7 million vehicles a year.

Another 150 jobs are at GKN Wheels in Telford, while the firm also has sites at Leek in Staffordshire and Minworth in Birmingham.