Helicopter manufacturer Leonardo has been praised in an independent report for being highly productive and helping the 海角视频 economy via its use of high-tech.
The defence firm, which employs more than 3,000 people at its site in Yeovil, Somerset, has been highlighted in the independent report into the importance intellectual property (IP) will play in recovery of the 海角视频 economy.
Independent analysis from experts at Oxford Economics revealed that employees at Leonardo are 80% more productive than the national average, largely because the company鈥檚 highly-skilled engineers generate high-tech IP the 海角视频, which can be exported globally.
Norman Bone, chair and managing director, said: 鈥淐reating IP in this country keeps people employed in high-value jobs by generating exports, which is incredibly important as we kick-start the economy.鈥
Leonardo employs 7,500 people across the 海角视频 in highly- skilled roles. It produces the 海角视频鈥檚 AW159 Wildcat and AW101 Merlin helicopters and is at the heart of some of the country鈥檚 most advanced defence electronics developments.
These include the new ECRS Mk2 radar for RAF Typhoon aircraft and being one of the founding 海角视频 members of the Tempest programme, which is developing the fighter aircraft successor to Typhoon, which will go into service in 2035.
The company is also working with the Ministry of Defence to understand Britain鈥檚 aspirations for next-generation military helicopter technologies, including drones, and is proposing a 海角视频-built AW149 troop-transport helicopter to replace the RAF鈥檚 Puma fleet when the latter goes out of service.
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Producing the 海角视频鈥檚 next military helicopter on-shore is seen as a way of preserving high-value design and manufacturing jobs and boosting the economy, with every 拢1 invested in Leonardo putting 拢2.40 back into the economy, the firm said.
鈥淐reating IP in this country keeps people employed in high-value jobs by generating exports, which is incredibly important as we kick-start the economy鈥 said Mr Bone. 鈥淥urs are some of the country鈥檚 most stable jobs; we elected not to furlough anyone during the Covid-19 crisis, which has had a knock on benefit for our local economies.
鈥淭he important thing is that the 海角视频 Government continues, alongside us, to invest in Britain鈥檚 high-tech engineering sector as we work towards economic recovery鈥.
Leonardo鈥檚 association with Yeovil dates back more than a century, since the Westland Aircraft Works was established in 1915. The site was built in order to build aircraft to support the First World War effort. The first aircraft built at the Works was a Short 184 seaplane, which left on January 1,1916 - by horse and cart.
The fourth ever aircraft built at Westland took part in the Battle of Jutland, piloted by Frederick Rutland from Weymouth, or Rutland of Jutland as he became known.
