A £33 MILLION contract could secure jobs until at least the year 2000 at Burnley's Lucas Aerospace factory.

The contract is to manufacture fuel storage cylinders for natural gas powered vehicles made by Ford in the United States.

The deal, which is expected to last for at least four years, has come as a major boost to the Lucus Aerospace factory which will manufacture the high pressure cyclinders.

"We are proud and delighted to have been chosen by Ford," said Ken Maciver, managing director. "The natural gas powered vehicle market has good growth potential as national and local authorities realise the economic and environmental benefits of using natural gas for road transport."

The cylinders will be used on Ford's F series pickup trucks and Econoline vans for the US market where there is a growing demand to reduce vehicle pollution.

And Mr Maciver said the contract was ideal for the Burnley factory which employs more than 130 people.

"High quality cylinders have proved a perfect product for diversification making maximum use of existing manufacturing and processing plant and workforce skills."

The Burnley factory has been a major supplier of missile rocket motor casings for many years but in 1994 it launched a diversification programme as defence sepnding dropped.

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