FOREIGN investors expressed interest in the North West’s aerospace market during the Farnborough Air Show, an industry leader said.

Martin Wright, chief executive of the North West Aerospace Alliance, spent last week at the world’s biggest industry show representing firms from across the region, including scores from East Lancashire.

He said he had given a presentation to 30 Japanese businessmen and addressed Mexican investors, while the NWAA has signed a deal with the Montreal Aerospace Alliance in Canada to share expertise.

The NWAA’s stand at Farnborough was by far the largest of any regional aerospace clusters, and Mr Wright said that the interest that was shown demonstrated the strength of the North West and East Lancashire area.

He also used Farnborough to urge banks to support aerospace through lending.

Unlike other sectors, aerospace is a long-term industry and banks’ finan-cing needs to reflect that, said Mr Wright.

He said: “There have obviously been changes in the way banks operate.

“But I would like them to see aerospace as a viable long-term busi-ness.”

The NWAA, which is based at the Pendle Business Centre in Nelson, returned from Farnborough yesterday.