Manufacturer presses on with new Telford facility

A manufacturer of high-speed presses will open a 48,000 sq ft new factory and showroom in Telford in 2024.

Swiss-based Bruderer has reinforced its 55-year commitment to the UK by announcing a significant investment in the dedicated site on Hortonwood.

Construction work on the bespoke facility will start in October and will see the creation of a dedicated competence centre capable of servicing new and pre-owned machines, restoration of legacy presses and, for the first time, a modern showroom that will give a first-hand insight into new models, ancillary equipment and turnkey solutions.

The move will see the firm relocate its existing facility from Luton to Shropshire over the course of the next nine months, with four new jobs and an apprenticeship programme set to be created to cope with an unprecedented increase in demand for its technology.

“We have been planning this investment for a number of years and I’m delighted that our parent company has recognised the potential in the UK and agreed to build our new factory and showroom,” said Adrian Haller, managing director of Bruderer UK.

“The UK was the first subsidiary outside of our Switzerland home some 55 years ago and we still remain a strong base for Bruderer presses, with seven domestic companies investing in new machines in the last nine months alone.”

He continued: “We had outgrown our Luton facility and many of our staff, and indeed customers, are based in the Midlands. It was a natural decision to find a home in that region and Hortonwood gave us not only the perfect location, but also the space to build our new factory from the ground up.

“This means we can house all our spares, a cleaning and paint shop, machining area, quality checking station and exhibition space to promote all our solutions under one roof.

“Staff will also be looked after, with outside areas set in landscaped gardens, air-conditioning throughout, showers, changing rooms and EV charging.”

Andreas Fischer, chairman of Bruderer, said: “Shropshire is seen across the world as the birthplace of the industrial revolution and, today in 2023, still offers proximity to a lot of existing and new customers.

“I believe this move gives us the foundations to grow and plan for the next 55 years in the UK.”