Engineering firm David Brown is set for a link-up with a sister company in Finland.

Parent group Clyde Blowers has disclosed that it is in early stage talks about bringing together the UK wind energy operations of Lockwood-based David Brown and sister company Moventas.

It said the move would strengthen the group’s position in the market for onshore and offshore wind turbines.

Clyde Blowers said the combined business would be based at David Brown’s Park Works, but did not say how it might affect jobs.

The statement said: “Clyde Blowers is planning to bring together its UK wind energy activities of David Brown and Moventas to strengthen the group’s offering to the UK and European onshore and offshore markets.

“The move will combine David Brown’s established strong foothold in the UK wind sector together with Moventas’ established track record in onshore wind and strong operational capability.

“These combined activities will be managed from the David Brown UK facility in Huddersfield.”

The announcement comes just two months after David Brown scrapped plans for a multi-million pound move to Mirfield.

In a shock move, the firm abandoned plans to switch 270 of its 400-strong workforce to a new centre of excellence for gear manufacture and a wind turbine gearbox research and innovation centre in favour of redeveloping its 17-acre Park Works site.

David Brown landed a £2m grant from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund to add to its own £2.8m in developing the facilities.

At the time, the company said it had taken the decision following a “thorough review of all our strategic options to support growth and meet increased customer demand.”

David Brown said it saw stronger order books in the first half of 2013 and had successfully launched significant new products to market, including the innovative 7MW offshore wind turbine gearbox for Samsung.

Moventas is one of the world’s leading industrial and wind gear manufacturers, supplying power transmissions for the wind energy, paper and mining industries.

It employs 950 people in 15 countries worldwide – with factories in Finland, operations in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile and China and a network of agents covering Eastern Europe, Africa and South East Asia.