French-owned Metallography company Presi is creating laboratory space at East Point Business Park in Littlemore to demonstrate its quality testing equipment, used in the automotive, aerospace and other industries.

Spokesman Stephane Bonal said the company specifically chose Oxford because of the materials science universities, research labs, and its north-south traffic links for customers who will be visiting its demo facility at Orion House.

He is recruiting two staff who will start in a few weeks, and expects to take on up to five more people within three years. He added: ‘’Personally, and based on long experiences visiting the UK, I would say Oxford is a nice city. I am glad to be here.”