New testbed part of GBP 150m investment in UK aerospace facilities

The testbed itself will have an internal area of 7'500m2, making it larger than a Premiership football pitch, and will be surrounded by two concrete walls which measure up to 1.7m thick. The decision to invest in Derby, the home of Rolls-Royce’s civil aerospace division, was "underpinned by a constructive dialogue with senior union representatives in the UK and will help to sustain more than 7'000 Rolls-Royce jobs across the East Midlands", a press release states. Chris Cholerton, Rolls-Royce, President – Civil Aerospace, said: “We are proud to welcome the Secretary of State to Derby to celebrate this important milestone with us. It comes at a pivotal moment for our civil aerospace business as we ramp up production to record levels and look forward to completing a hat-trick of new engine launches, with the Trent 7000 set to enter service later this year. This new facility will not only give us the capacity and flexibility to deliver on our growth plans but also sustains employment across the region.”