ONE of Southampton’s world class firms has been nominated to represent the city in a parliamentary showcase of the best of British manufacturing.

Nestled on the banks of the River Itchen, which has a rich pedigree in maritime innovation, Griffon Hoverwork is one of the south coast’s manufacturing success stories in an industry often lamented as in decline.

The hovercraft maker has been chosen by shadow business secretary and Itchen MP John Denham to fly the flag for his constituency in a campaign by the Associate Parliamentary Manufacturing Group to boost the reputation of the British manufacturing sector.

“Where we are good we tend to be very good,” said Mr Denham who hailed Griffon Hoverwork as shining example of a British company that has a “really exciting product, that is doing very well”.

Griffon seized the opportunity to relocate from Marchwood to the former Vestas wind turbine site in Woolston last November in a move that has allowed it to boost production.

Vestas moved off the site after it shut down its Southampton operation, alongside a factory on Isle of Wight, with a total loss of more than 400 jobs.

The four-acre site off Hazel Road includes four production bays totalling 65,000 square feet, a yard and a wharf with water access, and a new two-storey 10,000 square feet office, due to open by the end of the year.

Griffon Hoverwork managing director Adrian Went said the firm has had to “hit the ground running” to fulfil orders for 12 of its 8000TD hovercraft for the Indian Coastguard.

The £34m deal – the largest order ever for UK hovercraft – was announced last summer during the Prime Minister’s trade mission to India and was held up by business secretary Vince Cable as a triumph for UK manufacturing.

The contract provides three years of work for Griffon, including extensive training both in the UK and India, where product support distributor MSC Mumbai will deliver a spares and maintenance programme.

The company is now building the eight tonne, 21m long craft. Griffon is also carrying out a refit of an even larger hovercraft that has been in service with the Canadian coastguard for 20 years.

The first of the Indian hovercrafts is expected to be completed in January for delivery in March with others following every three months.

“India is a massive market for us,” said Mr Went, who said there were “strong prospects” for an even larger contract with the Indian Army.

He said the move to Merlin Quay had helped “secure the future” of the firm, while providing a more comfortable working space for staff.

Around 170 Griffon hovercraft are in operation in 40 countries, from the jungles of South America to the freezing conditions of the Arctic, a global export reach rivalling larger UK defence giants such as BAE Systems.

It has more hovercraft in operation with the military, paramilitary, commercial and rescue sectors than any other manufacturer.

Recent orders have also come from the Canadian Coast Guard, the third since 2004 including the largest hovercraft to ever be exported from the UK at 75 tonnes, as well as another large craft for the Korean Coastguard for patrol duties along its border. The Korean Coastguard have a fleet of six Griffon hovercrafts.

Griffon, which has a turnover of £17.5m, now employs 180 staff and around 20 contractors, doubling its workforce in the past year, and has forged strong links with Southampton colleges, taking on three female aluminium fabric welders in recent years.

Kassi Young, 20, who completed her four-year apprenticeship last year is now one of the firm’s most skilled welders.

Fellow welder Becky Skelton, 20, who is in the third year of her apprenticeship, came from City College and said she had found her vocation.

“I wanted to do something hands on. I didn’t want to be a hairdresser,” she said.

Griffon Hoverwork, which was acquired by the Gibraltar based Bland Group in 2008, has pioneered the development of the hovercraft since they were first conceived over 50 years ago by Sir Christopher Cockerell, who lived on the Isle of Wight.