Start-up to create 400 engineering jobs in BirminghamMelanie ReynoldsUK mobile phone start-up Sendo is creating 400 mainly highly skilled electronics jobs at its R&D centre in Birmingham.
The firm's expansion £36m plans will be assisted by a Government grant towards the expansion of the centre. The Regional Selective Assistance grant towards the expansion was announced by the Prime Minister Tony Blair. "This will create over 400 highly skilled, well paid jobs," said Blair.
"We are very pleased with the generous support of the British Government. It allows us to grow the company in the United Kingdom," said Hugh Brogan, Sendo's CEO.
"Without this grant we would have been forced to start a second centre of R&D elsewhere in the world."
The company which started up in August 1999 already employs around 100 people in Birmingham.
A Sendo spokesman said 80-85 per cent of the new staff is expected to be technical and they will work on new phone development, GPRS and 3rd generation mobile phones. It is anticipated it will take four to five years to recruit all 400 staff.
Building work is expected to start early next year. The company has been working with Birmingham City Council for over a year to secure the investment.