A MAJOR £30m investment programme in a long-standing Greenock electronics factory has been hailed by Inverclyde's MP.

Ronnie Cowan praised Diodes Incorporated for ploughing huge sums of money into its semiconductor factory in Larkfield Industrial Estate.

The American firm kept the wafer fabrication plant, which has been in the area since 1970, open when it acquired the business in April this year from previous owners, Texas Instruments.

Bosses at TI took the decision to close the facility in 2016 and a search for a buyer paid off after a taskforce was set up.

Diodes has launched a huge upgrade of equipment and replaced the staff who left amid the uncertainty.

There are now over 300 people employed at the plant with the company also taking on modern apprentices once again and building up links with local schools, colleges and the main universities which serve the area.

Mr Cowan said: "I recently visited Diodes and was delighted to hear about the investment that is being made in the plant and its workforce. "Retooling to make new products and recruiting modern apprentices are both extremely welcome and beneficial to the long term future of this site.

"I appreciate the encouragement that Diodes give to pupils to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects and their keenness to grow their next generation workforce from within Inverclyde. "Diodes is an internationally recognised company with big ambitions."

The Tele revealed last week how the Greenock plant is now at the centre of Diodes' ambitious growth plans."

MP Mr Cowan said: "Their investment in Inverclyde is a huge boost to the area and the people in it."