Ref. 31114-13SWINDON Pressings has been showing off its involvement in the production of the new MINI Convertible.

The Stratton St Margaret plant has played a crucial role, supplying panels to the MINI plant in Oxford.

Yesterday the Convertible came to Swindon as BMW paid tribute to the major contribution the town is making to the little car's future.

Bob Bolam, managing director of Swindon Pressings, said: "When we measure the number of press parts produced at Swindon, MINI has grown since its launch to become our biggest customer.

"We look forward to supporting the continuing success of MINI as well as keeping a vibrant manufacturing sector in the Swindon and Wiltshire economy."

Mr Bolam said he had talked to employees who had started work at the plant 40 and 25 years ago.

He said: "In both cases components for the classic Mini were the Swindon plant's highest volume product, so we might say that the car is coming home to Swindon.

"It is certainly giving us a solid platform on which to build our future business strategy."

Mr Bolam said that BMW was investing £40 million in the Swindon plant over the next three years.

"We are seeing investment in the plant and the introduction of new technology," he said.

"To ensure that we can continue to play a part in the further growth of the MINI range we need to radically restructure and consolidate our site.

"Over the next few years you will see physical changes and improvement to the plant infrastructure to match the future demand.

"The plant will be smaller than before but more efficient, and definitely rooted in the future and not in the past."

Last Summer it was announced that the plant, which employs about 2,300 people, had been chosen as the long-term supplier of press parts to the MINI plant in Oxford.

Mr Bolam said it had been a significant milestone that ended a long period of speculation about the plant's future.

Alan Jones, chairman of the Swindon Mini Associates Club, who describes himself as a died-in-the-wool classic Mini fanatic, said: "There was an original Mini Convertible in the early 1990s.

"Rover made a few hundred of them and they were extremely popular.

"The new one will be a great seller but it won't be around in 40 years' time."

Andy Tate