A MAJOR investment programme which will lead to new jobs is under way at a high-tech engineering firm.

Option Technologies International of Haslingden is setting up a new drilling department at a cost of £420,000.

The firm, which employs more than 80 people, manufactures part-finished printed circuit boards for use in computers and medical equipment. More than 50 per cent of production is exported to Europe, Australia and South Africa

The new drilling department will also give Option's German parent company Mania a demonstration area for its highly specialised. It will be manned 24 hours a day and new staff will be taken on when it is up and running.

The firm received a grant of £21,000 from the Action for Haslingden Single Regeneration Budget and the European Regional Development fund towards the costs of the project.

"Option Technologies is one of the longest established businesses on the Carrs Industrial Estate and I am delighted that they invited us to assist in their imaginative expansion plans," said Tony Wild, Action for Haslingden's programme officer.

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