There has been a delighted reaction to last week's announcement that Chelmsford's Alenia Marconi Systems has won its biggest radar order ever - worth £260 million.

The company will produce the radar tracking system for the new updated Seawolf missile defences for the Royal Navy.

The development and design work will take place in Chelmsford with manufacture at Portsmouth and Bristol. Backup and servicing over at least 20 years is expected to be organised from Chelmsford.

The company has already said the massive contract will secure the business in the county town for at least the next two decades.

First reaction came from Chelmsford West MP Simon Burns who described the new contract as: "A tremendous vote of confidence in the company and its workforce."

He added: "The other excellent news for Chelmsford is that this success not only underpins 800 jobs but will also create 50 new jobs. This will strengthen our technology skills in the town and show that after the difficult years of the 1990s that first class companies like Alenia Marconi Systems can compete and win in what is a very difficult and competitive market."

Bill Pigram, regional chief of the engineers' union the AEEU, was delighted with the news so soon after the recent announcement at the nearby Marconi Applied Technologies company that it needed 200 more staff to concentrate on the telecom market.

"This is really good news although of course there will be a note of sadness for all the engineers no longer employed here in radar that there is no manufacturing capability here any more.

"Nevertheless this is a good company with first class staff relations and about a third of them are members of the Manufacturing Science and Finance Union and we are amalgamating with MSF during 2001 so I could possibly be their new district secretary."

Further praise comes from Chelmsford Borough Council whose economic development committee chairman, Cllr Phil Harvey commented: "This is the culmination of five years preparation work.

"In addition it was announced on Wednesday that AMS won the East of England Excellence Award, beating competition from all six counties in the region.

"The majority of radar systems employees live in Chelmsford borough and are to be complimented on their hard work in securing the deal. Both successes put Chelmsford at the forefront of technology in the region and worldwide."

By Peter Baker

Reporter's e-mail: peter.baker@essex-chronicle.co.uk

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