Chinese order for Yorkshire manufacturer

CLEAT manufacturer Ellis has secured a major order to supply a Chinese shipbuilder.

The company’s products will be used on a new drilling ship being built for US firm Vantage by Cosco.

Tony Conroy, export sales manager for Ellis, said: “The growth in cheaply manufactured cleats has certainly muddied the picture in recent times, but we have always remained confident that our approach would eventually see our technically superior products come to the fore in China.”

The $500m ship is bing built at Cosco’s Dalian shipyard and is due to be completed in July.

It is designed to drill oil wells at depths up to 10,000ft.

Ellis, based in Malton, secured the order working with its Hong Kong distributor Wang Yip Hong and its Chinese partner Senkori Trading Co.