A MAJOR initiative to help East Lancashire aerospace firms break into Asia and America are under way.

The Consortium of Lancashire Aerospace, which represents more than 100 firms locally, has set up two working groups to look at the best routes into the two huge markets.

The aim is to help broaden export markets further afield than Europe.

The initiative is being funded with help from Pendle Partnership, Burnley Regeneration Forum and the European Regional Development Fund.

The North American group is targeting key manufacturers and preparing detailed reports on a target list of companies including Pratt & Whitney, Boeing and General Electric.

The reports will form the basis of the CLA's market intelligence database and will be available to members.

The focus group looking at the Asian market will look at the aerospace market there on a country-by-country basis.

The first two reports to be compiled will cover China and India.

Consortium members sitting on the working groups include Steve Hollis, of Cleveland Guest, Steve Ward, of Pendle Group and Keith Slater, of Brookhouse.

The Consortium is starting to prepare for the international airshow at Farnborough in summer. Further details on the stand are available from 01282 604444.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.