US aircraft manufacturing giant Boeing has commenced production at its first European manufacturing site in the UK.
The £40m Boeing Sheffield plant in Catcliffe, near Rotherham, has 52 staff producing more than 100 different actuation components for the 737 and 767 planes in its 6,200 sq m (66,736 sq ft) factory.
The actuation system parts, which move the flaps at the back of the wing to provide extra lift at low speeds during takeoff and landing, will then be assembled at Boeing Portland, in Oregon, before being sent to factories for installation on plane wings.
According to Boeing, the new site demonstrates the firm's commitment ‘to UK prosperity’ at a time when the continuing uncertainty surrounding Brexit is creating concern about the country's economic future.
The factory, based in the Sheffield Business Park, was built next to a research centre founded in 2001 by Boeing and the University of Sheffield.
James Needham, operations manager at Boeing Sheffield, said: "Today's about celebrating the milestone we've achieved in opening our factory. We have a tough challenge ahead to make the parts and hit the ferocious rate we need to achieve to keep these commercial airplanes flying us all on holiday next summer."