EADS, GKN near deal on UK wings factory

PARIS, July 4 (Reuters) - Airbus parent EADS (EAD.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) and British aerospace group GKN (GKN.L: Quote, Profile, Research) are close to a deal for GKN to take control of an Airbus wings factory at Filton in Britain, sources briefed on the matter said on Friday.

The two companies have been in negotiations for months over the sale of the plant on the outskirts of Bristol. The sale is part of restructuring efforts by Airbus triggered by a weak dolar and its need to bring in investors to help build the A350.

EADS and GKN both declined to comment.

An announcement could come around the time of the July 14-20 Farnborough air show or possibly earlier, one of the sources said, asking not to be identified.

A similar bid to sell Airbus factories in France and Germany flopped last month due in part to the global credit crisis.