HITACHI Automotive Products Europe Ltd has been awarded Investors in People status.

The prestigious award -- in recognition of excellent employee development -- is the latest of three national quality standards to be achieved by the Japanese company since it began manufacturing at the Middlebrook Business Park, Lostock two years ago.

The company employs 130 people at the modern plant, manufacturing engine parts for customers such as Ford, Nissan and Isuzu.

It has devised an education system for training its staff and is developing more extensive training programmes.

Sharon Johnson, the Personnel and Administration Manager, said they had now achieved three major quality standards -- QS9000, ISO 9001 and Investors in People -- largely because a continuous improvement environment was extremely important to them.

She said: "The Investors in People award says something about our company.

"It is useful for our customers to know that we operate to high standards and it assists in recruitment because people join us, knowing they have potential to develop further."

Hitachi Automotive Products Europe Ltd was helped through the Investors process by Bolton and Bury Chamber.