Member Article

Yorkshire fastener manufacturer invests £6m in factory expansion programme

Advanced fastener systems manufacturer EJOT has invested in its manufacturing capacity and technical support with an expansion project that has doubled the size of its UK HQ, production and logistics facility at Sherburn-in-Elmet.

The expansion by the company, which manufactures a wide range of high-performing fastening solutions for the construction and engineering industries, initially secures the future for the current workforce of 70, formed of site based staff and sales engineers covering the whole of the UK. Longer term, however, the investment will also enable sustainable growth with new job opportunities created with a particular focus on opportunities for young people seeking to develop a career in engineering.

The UK arm of the German-headquartered EJOT Group embarked on the £6m investment programme in 2016, well ahead of the implementation of a post-Brexit agreement. This was part of its long term vision to provide market-leading support to UK customers whilst creating a manufacturing centre of excellence for many of its key products in Yorkshire.

The extended facility will give EJOT UK an additional 4,500 sq. m of operational space, providing additional capacity for the manufacture of products for both the construction and automotive sectors. In addition to expanding the production of EJOT’s core range of fasteners for roofing and cladding, this will include a new facility for manufacturing the LIEBIG range of heavy duty anchors for concrete – a brand it acquired from Finnish company Sormat in 2017.

Robert Hardstaff, Managing Director of EJOT UK said: “This investment in our UK site represents a major step forward for EJOT, giving us a unique position in the market in respect of the levels of technical, logistical and sales support we can offer, with a strengthening of our manufacturing base.

“When EJOT bought the Sherburn-in-Elmet after relocating from Hunslet site back in 2003, it was done so with a long term UK vision in mind, which is why a large site was chosen with room to grow. It is tremendous to see this vision fulfilled, boosting what many of our customers, industry partners and professional associations already regard as a go-to resource for industry-wide training and meetings.

“The investment programme represents so much more than just a building extension, however. It supports EJOT’s family business approach that drives our global strategy to continuously re-invest profits into the business and futureproof our employment needs by providing youth career opportunities in highly skilled and technical roles.”

EJOT GmbH, still a privately owned German family business, established its UK operations in Leeds in 1985, but it has a much longer heritage extending back to 1922. And as the EJOT Group approaches its 100th anniversary, recent investments in its plants in Poland, India, the USA, Turkey, Brazil, Mexico and China, as well as the UK, ensure the business is in excellent shape for its next era.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Alan Markham .