EMPLOYMENT Minister Andrew Smith welcomed the opening of a £23m factory in Cowley as a major boost for manufacturing jobs in the region.

The Unipart Yutaka Systems plant, Mr Smith, MP for Oxford East, cut a celebration cake at the Cowley factory's formal opening yesterday and said: "As Minister for Employment I am delighted that the factory has already taken on a New Deal employee as part of its commitment to the local community, I am sure there will be opportunities for other young people here in the future."

"I warmly welcome this latest international investment in manufacturing jobs in Oxford.

"I am especially pleased that the emphasis will be on innovation, productivity and products which benefit the environment."

Mr Smith said the joint venture - one of four launched by Unipart nationwide - was another boost to Labour's commitment to prosperity, fairness and and the environment.

He added: "This modern factory is tangible proof that the motor industry is very much alive and well in Oxford."

Unipart Group chief executive John Neill said investment in skills and knowledge would allow the factory to tackle the inevitable competitive attacks which it would face in the future.

City councillor Richard Tarver, who chairs the council's employment and economic development committee, said: "The attraction of Oxford and developments such as these 200 new jobs in the Unipart joint venture will help to spread prosperity for all throughout the city."

The opening of the plant comes two months after Unipart announced the closure of its factory off Woodstock Road, Oxford, by 2001.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.