New Trade and Industry Minister, David Cretney, is making a series of visits to major factories on the Island this week.

He will call at Manx Engineers in Laxey, CVI Technical Optics in Onchan and Swagelok in Braddan.

On Wednesday he will also meet Tony Cook of the Electrical Contractors Association who is visiting the Island.

The following week the minister will be given a presentation by the Manufacturing Committee of the Chamber of Commerce and visit Strix in Malew, Element 6 at the Freeport and Smith's Aerospace in Onchan.

He will also be meeting with Bernard Moffatt of the Transport and General Worker's Union in the near future.

Mr Cretney (pictured) has said that familiarising himself with Island manufacturers would be one of his first priorities in his new ministerial post.