Airfield and runway specialist targets growth with million-pound investment

Lincolnshire-based global airfield and runway specialist Jointline has made £1m investment in a new plant and machinery.

The investment aims to support the growth of the privately-owned company, which employs 120 people.

Founded in 1987, Jointline operates three main divisions: airfield lining, grooving and internal lining; highways; and civils. This year, Jointline’s annual turnover is expected to exceed £20m.

Jointline’s investment in expanding its grooving division includes purchasing five ride-on pavement groovers, a custom 30-ft articulated trailer, and two 44-tonne DAF XF Super Space tractor units.

The firm has also refurbished its 30,000-litre water tanker, adding safety features, Chapter 8 compliance, and 360-degree camera coverage.

Based in Witham St Hughs, Jointline has completed renovation and improvement works at every major civilian airport in the UK, as well as runways in Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America.

Jointline’s recent and ongoing projects include runway grooving at London Heathrow and Stansted Airports, Belfast International Airport, Shannon Airport in Ireland, and several military airfields.

Gary Massey, managing director of Jointline, said: “The current demand for runway refurbishment and development is the highest it’s been for the past decade. For us to fulfil the demand from existing domestic customers – while expanding our overseas operations – we have deployed company funds to purchase multiple new sets of specialist plant and machinery.

“We have also invested in the training and development of long-serving employees and increased our skilled workforce by 20% to 120 employees. This is setting us apart from our competitors while keeping the team and our customers safe as we carry out grooving assignments on live airfields. I am proud to be leading a business that is set up for the future and able to continue to grow sustainably and profitably.”