The Midlands is on course to beat last year's record number of jobs created from inward investment, it has been claimed
More than 1,000 new jobs have been created in the region during the first six months of the financial year as a result of £73.5 million spent by overseas firms.
Regional development agency Advantage West Midlands has announced the six monthly figures which show 38 investments between April and September which created 1,090 new jobs and safeguarded 1,771.
This compared with 4,072 for the whole of 2004-05 although several promising projects are in the pipeline, AWM said.
Of the jobs created, it was involved in 14 cases which led to a total of 734 new jobs.
AWM assists inward investment in a number of ways, including the promotion of the region overseas, helping interested companies find suitable sites and providing access to finance to encourage expansion.
A network of overseas offices have been set up in 11 locations - Boston, Brussels, Chicago, Cologne, Melbourne, Mumbai, Paris, San Jose, Stockholm, Tokyo and Washington DC to help attract investment.
Meanwhile a marketing campaign, at the Heart of It All, was launched in August 2004 promoting the West Midlands region to a national and international audience with the aim of stimulating business investment.
Key investments include the creation of 400 new jobs and safeguarding of 200 jobs in Warwickshire following an investment by American parcel company UPS.
American injection moulding firm Protomold created 40 jobs by locating their European HQ in Telford.
Other examples included the expansion by Irish firm Glen Dimplex Housewares of its base in North Staffordshire which safeguarded 70 jobs and is expected to create 55 more.
German company copper alloy maker Prymetall UK safeguarded 31 jobs with a takeover of EIP Metals in Smethwick.
John Edwards, chief executive at AWM, said: "It is clear the benefits of our regional marketing campaign are starting to pay dividends."
