LDV has secured a £125 million deal to ship over a Polish production plant to prepare for the launch of a new vehicle range.

LDV will use the tools from the plant, formerly owned by Daewoo, to produce a new commercial vehicle range set to launch in 2004, from its Birmingham site.

Allan Amey, chief executive of LDV, said: 'With the completion of this important stage, we can now focus our energies on the installation and commissioning of our new facilities.'

Equipment from the Polish plant will be shipped over to the UK during a two-month period with some initial tools already having arrived. As production at LDV's Birmingham site begins, the company will embark on a recruitment drive, which could create about 1,000 jobs over the next four years.