VAN manufacturer LDV is making a bid for a Ministry of Defence order worth up to £1.5billion as part of a four-company consortium.

The Midlands-based company will join Stewart and Stevenson of the US, along with UK-based Multidrive and Lex Multipart to tender for the project.

LDV chief executive Allan Amey said: 'This is a great opportunity for all four companies. Each has a proven track record in their chosen field.

'Stewart and Stevenson is a successful manufacturer, distributor and service support provider for military trucks. The company already supplies military vehicles to the US army.

'Multidrive is the joint design authority for recovery vehicles, with Stewart and Stevenson, and will manufacture them at their facilities. Lex Multipart will provide field and spares support, and LDV will bring its manufacturing skills, from press operations through to vehicle assembly, to the project and will become the primary manufacturing base.'

The bid for the light, medium and heavy military vehicles was announced at the opening of LDV's new £30million paint plant.