AN engineering firm has helped save 120 jobs by buying another business from the receivers.

The Darwen tooling and composite materials company Brookhouse has bought the SPD Group, which has sites in Stalybridge, Mossley, Dukinfield and Hyde.

Brookhouse, based in India Mill, recently produced the tooling for the manufacture of air-intake nozzles on Thrust SSC, the world's first supersonic car. With the acquisition of SPD, Brookhouse will have an annual turnover of about £20 million and a total workforce of 370.

The family-owned company has been involved in making parts from the Canberra bomber to the Tornado fighter, as well as the Raytheon executive jet and the Airbus.

Joint managing director Peter Turner said: "We see this aquisition as being very important for the continued growth of our company.

"We believe that this capability, together with SPD's expertise in tooling and its experience in assembling large structures will now allow Brookhouse to offer an even better and more comprehensive service."

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