The runaway success of the Oxford-built Mini is having a knock on effect across the region.

So high is demand for the car, that the Cowley plant's German owners BMW are pumping another £40m into their Swindon plant.

BMW Plant Swindon, which employs about 1,600 people, is a major supplier of pressings such as doors, roofs, bonnets, and boot covers for the new Mini Convertible which goes on sale in the UK this week.

The managing director of the Swindon plant, Robert Bolam, said: "This is great news for the plant and the workforce.

"Plant Swindon is now an integral part of the BMW Group production facilities and this means the long-term future of the plant is secure.

"We have a major investment programme in place for the next three years to ensure Mini benefits from the latest pressings technology."

Approval has been given for the first phase of the three-year investment programme in new tooling and automation at the plant as it prepares to become the main supplier of pressings and sub assemblies for the Mini.

The Oxford-built Mini is now Plant Swindon's biggest customer. In 2003, 176,000 Minis were sold worldwide and sales in the first half of this year show it is on target to beat that figure in 2004. Plant Swindon now supplies parts for the Mini One, Cooper and Cooper S.

With the addition of all press parts for the Convertible the Mini is now responsible for half the plant's total output.

Other companies that Plant Swindon supplies include Land Rover, MG Rover and Nissan.