The owner of Coventry Airport is expanding its operations in the region by acquiring Marshall's corporate aviation facilities at Birmingham Airport.

XLR, which is part of Rigby Group, says it is now expecting significant growth as it prepares to engage with a range of new markets and opportunities from the transport hub.

XLR already runs two executive jet centres at Exeter and Coventry and earlier this year revealed its intention to expand operations across the UK.

Rigby Group founder and chairman Sir Peter Rigby said: "The establishment of a new XLR Jet Centre at Birmingham Airport marks a huge step forward in our plans for the company, placing its operations at the heart of one of the UK's busiest and most accessible airports.

"It opens up significant opportunities, not only in domestic executive travel but also in servicing the growing market across Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

"Following our most recent investments in Exeter and Coventry, the Birmingham acquisition leaves us superbly positioned to execute our strategy of leveraging the group's expertise and commitment to excellence to create a new major player in the corporate aviation market."

XLR's clients include brokers, operators, individual clients and aircraft owners.

Director of corporate aviation Chris Beer added: "While we have already built an excellent reputation within the industry based on an extremely customer-centric focus, this latest acquisition will enable a significant step up in terms of the both the markets we are able to compete in and our operational scale.

"With a prestigious base now fully operational at Birmingham and ready to fly, XLR is ideally positioned to capitalise on Rigby Group's accelerating expertise across the aviation sector to create a new force in executive jet travel."

Charles Hughes, business development director with Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group, said: "XLR and Marshall share the same focus, in that, people are at the heart of our success and the addition of the impressive Birmingham facility and the dedicated team within it make a strong fit for XLR.

"I wish the team and the business the very best for the future."