A JOINT venture behind the bamboo curtain has been unveiled by a rapidly expanding firm.

BMP Europe has struck a deal to assemble components manufactured at its Altham site at a plant in Southern China.

The move will give BMP Europe, which manufactures components for office equipment such as faxes and photocopiers, greater access to the growing Asian market.

"A lot of our customers are setting up over there and we have to be near them," explained managing director David Lodge.

Staff from the Altham site have been making regular trips to the factory to prepare for the start of component assembly.

Two months ago BMP Europe announced it had bought French firm Recyclinfo, a firm which remanufactures laser printer cartridges, for an undisclosed sum.

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