THE BROUGHTON factory site has roughly doubled in size during the 11 years Brian Fleet has been the boss.

But he does not believe it can continue at that pace of growth over the next decade.

“It would be very difficult repeat over the next 11 years what we have achieved in the previous 11 years, doubling in size and the same with the number employed,” he said.

“There are opportunities to grow the site but these will not create the same levels of employment as we are introducing more advanced technologies which will not create the same need for manpower as prior programmes.”

Instead, he added, the aerospace complex will be striving to ensure that its technologies remain leading edge and making certain its manufacturing processes are the best and most efficient in the world.

Mr Fleet added: “I have no doubt the replacement for the single aisle plane (A320) will require new advances in technologies that will be a significant step forward in what we do today.

“That is the way to keep ourselves ahead of the pack of emerging countries and economies around the world.”

Mr Fleet said that, as regards the future, the site would build on the huge technological advances it had already made in rolling out the A380 and A350 programmes.