JCB wins major Russian engineering contract

JCB has been awarded a £23 million deal with MOCT, one of the largest civil engineering contractors in Russia.

Russia wants British goods and investment and Britain likewise welcomes Russian investment in our country

Peter Mandelson

Business Secretary

The firm has pledged to buy hundreds of the British diggers and generators for its work on the winter Olympics in Russia, which highlights the opportunities available for UK firms to work on this project.

Business Secretary Peter Mandelson has praised the deal signing, saying it will aid in maintaining business relations between the nation and the UK.

"Russia wants British goods and investment and Britain likewise welcomes Russian investment in our country," he added.

Mr Mandelson also pointed out year-on-year trade between the two countries is growing by 25 per cent.

Tim Burnhope, Managing Director of JCB, said the move is an endorsement of the company's products and of the work its European partner, Lonmadi, is doing.

In a speech in Russia yesterday, Mr Mandelson stated that the two countries should aim to build a "deeper partnership".