Rolls-Royce was the big winner at the Paris Air Show, announcing around £2 billion of new orders for its Trent engines and long-term service agreements.

And while the news was a major boost for the company's operations at Barnoldswick, industry leaders predicted there would be massive spin-offs for dozens of firms in East Lancashire.

Rolls-Royce's 900 employees at Barnoldswick manufacture the fan blades for the Trent family of engines.

The Nelson-based North West Aerospace Alliance was celebrating the success on its stand at the Paris Air Show.

"Winning these orders is wonderful news not just for Rolls-Royce, but for many other aerospace companies," said Paul Hughes, operations manager for the Alliance.

"There will be a major knock-on effect for Rolls key suppliers in the area like Hurel Hispano, Pendle Aeroform and AIT. Further down the supply chain, there will be spin-offs for smaller sub-contractors."

Mike Terrett, president of civil aerospace at Rolls-Royce, said the Trent engines had now captured a 50 per cent share of the market for the new generation of wide body aircraft.

"The announcements are a clear endorsement of the Trent engine family and of the value we can add for our customers through TotalCare Packages," he said.

Apart from the Rolls-Royce announcement, there was little positive news to come out of the Paris Airshow.

Overall, the number of exhibitors and visitors was said to be around a third down, with Americans thin on the ground because of security fears in the aftermath of September 11 and the Iraqi war.

But for the North West Aerospace Alliance, it was 'business as usual' as the organisation mounted its biggest-ever presence at the world's largest air show.

More than 20 companies joined its exhibition stand - the largest from any region in the world - including Callender Aeropart, Altham; Hurst Green Plastics; INBIS, Bamber Bridge; and Weston EU, Foulridge, Lancs.

Paul Hughes said the Alliance members had enjoyed a productive week in Paris and had been able to build on relationships with other regions which specialise in the aerospace industry.

"Overseas delegations from countries such as India, Malaysia, Canada and Italy have already visited the North West following last year's Farnborough International Air Show and outward missions to Spain and Canada have taken place," he said.

"At Paris groups of companies from six overseas markets visited the stand and meetings were fixed already for many exhibitors with a range of buyers and potential business partners."

Alliance chairman Dennis Mendoros said the future prosperity of the North West hinged on the survival and continued growth of its aerospace sector and key manufacturing industries.

He warned that the region could only maintain its status as a world leader in aerospace and innovation by ensuring that prime manufacturers such as BAE SYSTEMS and Rolls-Royce continued to invest in their home markets.

"Prime manufacturers not only support major workforces in the region, but also provide the financial lifeblood of the communities that surround their facilities, " he said. "We recognise that they now have to be global players and that more work is going to fewer suppliers as they tighten supply chains.

"Our first and second tier suppliers have to be that much sharper, leaner and more competitive if they are to survive and win new work," he added.