A GLOBAL firm has made the borough its new home as it aims to to take its operation to a new level.

Prevost, part of the multi-billion-pound Staubli Group, established in France in 1978, is a leading manufacturer of fluid power distribution products supplying automotive, food, and many other manufacturing companies including the McLaren F1 team and their road car division.

The firm has recently moved its base from Rochdale to the Tower Business Park, Darwen, at Junction 4.

Mike Abbott, the firm’s UK manager, said the infrastructure at the new base will help to dive the business on and create more jobs in the area.

He said: “We have had a UK branch in Rochdale since 2010 but we have very quickly outgrown that building so we had a look around and there was no better place than Blackburn with Darwen.

“It has a very skilled potential logistics workforce, who may have been made redundant, and could be ideal to join us.

“Being close to the motorway will help with logistics and the building itself is second to none.

“We have invested heavily in the area, we saw Blackburn as a great distribution area to be in. We will be looking to recruit in the near future particularly apprentices and hope to create more jobs in the area.

“Our strapline is ‘Connected to Innovation’ and that’s what we do - innovate. We don’t just improve products, we come up with the new solutions. I have been in the industry for about 30 years and we have had so many completely new products.

“It’s a very exciting industry, a very exciting company to work for and a very exciting time to be involved.

“We are one of the only companies in our field to carry UK stock and we make product specifically for the UK market as well as globally.

“We make unique energy-efficient and safety-conscious products using all European materials.”

And now the firm is established in the borough, Mr Abbott was hoping to pick the cream of the crop.

He added: “We picked the borough and the building to futureproof the UK operation. We are growing quickly and it’s an ideal location for Prevost to grow.”