A NELSON engineering company has taken on the Americans in their own back yard - and won.

J Rostron Engineering is shipping an industrial oven to the USA after winning the $750,000 contract against American competition.

The plant will be used to produce door and roof linings at an automotive products company based in Virginia.

The order maintained Rostron's impressive export record which has seen machines sold to Japan, Australia, France, Holland and Finland.

Director Keith Grimshaw said the company had come across the order almost by accident when an existing customer in the UK mentioned that the American firm was looking for new plant.

"Our name was put forward and then we were sent the specification and asked to come up with a quote," said Keith. "In January, we were asked to go over to Virginia to discuss the project in more detail and within a week, we had the order on our desk. "We later found that we were up against two American companies. One was too expensive and for the other company, it would have been their biggest project.

"We are delighted that they had the confidence to deal with us. We are only a small company ourselves, but we have a lot of expertise in this business."

John Rostron founded the business in 1983 and specialises in thermal air drying systems for a range of industries which includes automotive, paper, food and drinks.

The company is based at a custom-designed factory at the Lomeshaye Industrial Estate in Nelson and employs a team of specialist designers and engineers.