EAST Lancashire companies are at the heart of a new drive to create an international centre of excellence for the aerospace industry.

The Nelson-based North West Aerospace Alliance is in talks with the regional development agency over plans to establish a world-class research centre.

And according to chairman Dennis Mendoros, unless East Lancashire companies keep pace with technological change, they will miss out on worldwide markets.

"We intend to bring together our rich resources, both in terms of people and infrastructure, to create an internationally-recognised centre of aerospace excellence," said Mr Mendoros.

"We believe that the aerospace industry must act proactively and become the catalyst for creating a centre of high technology capable of supporting the changing requirements not only of the aerospace industry, but for all high technology clusters in the North West and beyond." Mr Mendoros said aerospace was a knowledge-based industry which demanded the introduction of innovation into product development, management practices and manufacturing processes.

He said: "It is imperative that we respond to new challenges in a structured and well-planned manner in order to ensure that we not only maintain our current privileged position in the international market, but at the same time ensure that we actively participate in new growth areas. The North West of England is a region with a prosperous, multi-skilled and educated working community, complemented by a highly-industrialised, technically-advanced and export-oriented industrial base."

The North West Aerospace Alliance, based at the Pendle Business Centre, represents hundreds of small and medium-sized companies that work with major defence groups such as BAE Systems.