100k investment to aid firm target new business

A 100,000 investment in two new machines has been completed by Grimsby firm Anglia Engineering Solutions, as it makes major strides in the renewable energy market.

Complementing a strong heritage in food, oil and gas, the South Humberside Industrial Estate company has been picking up work in the offshore wind supply chain.

Two new Alpha 1550 CNC lathes have increased machining capacity by 40 per cent, with further expansion planned.

Contracts manager Dave Larder said: "This is a highly ambitious investment for the company aimed at substantially increasing our turnover and widening our customer base. With an improved manufacturing facility and highly trained staff we will be able to target new customers and be in a position to meet their exacting demands."

It comes three years after On Line Design took a majority shareholding in the 44-year-old business, as it added a manufacturing arm to the consultancy operations headquartered in Immingham.

Steve Dickson, managing director, said: "We want to be able to further improve our customer service, not only in respect of quality, but delivery as well. This will enable us to do more training for our own staff and maintain the level of employment we have got. We want to be able to keep the apprentices on that we are currently training.

"Having the parent company behind us is a great support in this day and age. To have the financial support of On Line itself is immense for a company of our size."

A team of 61 make up Anglia, the 5.5-million turnover business on Estate Road Two. Recent work brought in includes the connection elements of the "umbilical cord" of offshore wind turbines, large diameter services cabling, including fibre optics and power.

Mr Dickson added: "We have always invested in machinery, whether it has been in fabrication, the machine shop or our pipework and welding department. The need is there for the machines because we have managed to grow our customer base steadily in the machining division, through oil, gas and renewable energy."

The two lathes will complement the existing machines, with the smaller of the two principally for training.

With eight apprentices across the businesses and three at various stages through their time in the machine shop, it is seen as a key investment.

"The smaller machine will help us to train the new generation of employees. three apprentices are coming out of their time this year across all divisions," said Mr Dickson, who has just completed 42 years with the firm.

"The work we undertake with oil, gas and renewable energy, the specifications are very high. It has enabled us to keep a good workforce going and to make these investments. More work is coming on board too."