[12
MAY 00] MARCONI
COMMUNICATIONS NEWS
Marconi To Create 3,000 New Jobs In Coventry
BY ANTONY HOPKER
Up
to 3,000 jobs are to be created in Coventry as part of a massive
expansion by Marconi Communications.
The
IT and communications firm is to move from its current base in New
Century Park, Stoke, to a new site at Antsy.
It
will build a high-tech research and development facility to keep the
company ahead of the game in the international market.
The
move will create up to 3,000 high-tech jobs, with computer graduates
being targeted by the firm for recruitment.
The
New Century Park site will be reused for employment land.
The
development site at Ansty, which is roughly the size of the Coventry
Business Park on the old Rover site in Canley, has been switched to
Marconi in a deal brokered by Coventry City Council.
Bosses
at Marconi said they wanted to move somewhere larger, but preferred to
stay in Coventry.
Trade
and Industry Secretary Stephen Byers is expected to announce the
details of the move in Coventry on Monday.
The
greenfield site has been swapped with Marconi by development agency
Advantage West Midlands for the New Century Park site.
Cllr
Bob Waugh, cabinet member in charge of Development and Renewal, said
he was delighted that the firm had opted to stay and expand in
Coventry.
He
said:
“They
could have gone anywhere in the world but they came to us several
months ago and said they wanted a new site.
“They
asked us to help them because we have had a good working
relationship with them in the past.
“Obviously
it’s great for the city in terms of the number of jobs.
“It
is something particularly for young people in Coventry to work to
and aspire.
“They’ve
got a lot of people working in the city who will transfer and they
will offer opportunities for people to come in to the city.
“It
is testament to the work that we as a city council, both officers
and members, have put in.”
Marconi
switched from heavy industry into IT market several years ago and make
optical networks and switch gear for leading telephone and computer
companies including British Telecom, Microsoft, Cable and Wireless and
Mannesmann.
It
currently employs 45,000 people worldwide, 16,000 in Britain.
A
Marconi spokesperson said:
"No
final decision has been made. We are expecting an official
announcement next week.
"We
are a fast-growing company and we've been growing worldwide Recently
we created 1,000 new jobs in Pittsburgh."
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