Aerospace firm to announce expansion

Fuselage sections for regional jet made in Belfast

The Belfast-based aerospace firm Shorts is to announce a multi-million pound expansion which will create 1,000 jobs.

The firm is understood to have won over £100m of new orders.

It is understood most of the new business is coming from Shorts' own parent company Bombardier Aerospace, which is based in Canada.

It will largely involve the manufacture of components for Bombardier's highly successful range of business and commuter jets.

US airline contract

It is believed that Bombardier have signed a £1.4bn aircraft order with Delta Airlines in the United States, which will bring the flow of new work to Shorts.

Details of the contract and its likely impact on future employment at the east Belfast factory are expected to be announced later on Wednesday.

Ministers in Northern Ireland's newly re-established power-sharing government will be present at the announcement.

The plant makes the fuselage, wing sections and other components for Bombardier's highly successful range of regional jet aircraft.

NI's largest employer

Shorts is also believed to be in line for work from BAe Systems, formerly British Aerospace, which won a huge order earlier this month for work on military transporter aircraft.

With a workforce of about 6,000 people, Shorts is Northern Ireland's largest manufacturing employer.

One of its biggest challenges in recent years has been to change the religious imbalance in the make-up of the largely Protestant workforce.

It also had to tackle the sectarian issue on its own factory floor.

A clampdown by management on the display of flags and emblems was one step to make the company more attractive to Catholics.