THE Island is set to become the worldwide centre for the next generation of aeronautical engines with a multi-million pound research and development centre at East Cowes.

A government-backed partnership between GKN and engine maker Rolls Royce, cemented by a £7.4 million grant from SEEDA, will put the East Cowes company at the heart of jet engine technology.

GKN is matching the SEEDA money to create the research facility for aero-engine composite fan blades. R&D is expected to be complete by 2012 after which GKN will focus on production. The facility will initially create 15 jobs, for which recruitment is currently taking place.

The centre will be built on GKN's Osborne site in East Cowes and is expected to open in a year.  "This facility on the Island will enable GKN, Rolls-Royce and the UK aerospace industry to bring world-leading composite fibre placement technology to the global aerospace market," said GKN technical director Rich Oldfield.  "Furthermore, these important process developments will be transferable to the automated manufacture of many other aero-engine components and structures and will benefit other key UK industrial sectors such as marine, health, construction and energy."  GKN has been at the heart of the aerospace revolution that now sees more than 60 per cent of aircraft structures made from composite materials.  It is already recognised as the leading independent manufacturer of composite structures for aerospace in the world.  Adding jet fans to that could bring a huge boost to an already healthy order book, not only in new engine components but the potentially huge upgrading of existing jets