A COMPANY which makes in-flight bars and lounges for the world’s leading airlines has broken ground on an £11m new facility at Bournemouth Airport.

AIM Altitude is consolidating several premises in the area into one purpose-built production facility for aircraft interior production.

The new building will cover 168,000sqft on the Aviation Business Park at the airport.

It will provide the company with 30 per cent more production capacity to meet growing demand.

A ‘customer zone’ will allow the company to create full-size mock-ups of the aircraft interior to show people around.

The business says the manufacturing space will be developed according to ‘lean’ principles aimed at eliminating waste and using fewer resources.

Colin Thornton, managing director of AIM Altitude’s cabin interiors division, said: “The company’s history in Bournemouth goes back to 1926, when products were developed for the Ministry of Defence by John E Clarke and Company Ltd, known as Jecco.

“The company has grown and progressed ever since to hold the reputation for the highest quality of design, engineering and manufacture of aircraft interiors; it is now known world-wide as AIM Altitude.

“The new facility will enable us to expand our capabilities, and having the whole team and process under one roof will help us to meet the increasing demand for premium aircraft bars and monuments.”

AIM Altitude worked closely with Natural England ahead of the development.

The area was found to be a habitat for 28 smooth snakes and 17 sand lizards, which were humanely trapped and released into a sustainable Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) area, by a team of licensed specialists, under the guidance of Natural England.

Mr Thornton said: “We take our corporate social responsibility very seriously and were keen to work with Natural England to ensure our development has as little impact on the natural environment as possible.”