NSK visitors fly in

Top executives from NSK visited its Newark factory to mark the opening of its new super precision bearing plant.

Mr Toshihide Shimbo, the executive vice-president of NSK, and Mr Norbert Schneider, the chief executive of NSK Europe, unveiled a plaque (pictured) at the Northern Road site after flying in from Japan and Germany respectively.

The visit was a follow-up to the announcement of a £5.5m modernisation of the Newark plant earlier this year, which paid for the new equipment and a reorganisation of the plant’s layout.

Mr Robin Ashby, an adviser to NSK, said: “Newark has really held on through the bad times and now the company is doing what needs to be done to keep it as a world-class operation.

“They have spent the money and sending senior people from Japan and Germany shows this is a proper commitment.”

Further investment of £20m is expected at Newark over the next five years. The plant has taken on 30 new workers and started an apprenticeship scheme for the first time in 15 years.