MTL’s expansion creates new jobs
CONTRACT manufacturing specialist MTL Group will create 50 jobs in South Yorkshire after completing a deal to move into a 300,000 sq ft facility.
The business, which underwent a management buyout in 2006, is relocating from its current premises to a new advanced manufacturing facility in Rotherham after securing a Yorkshire Forward grant.
The new centre will house the company’s state of the art equipment and will provide space for continued expansion.
MTL Group, which laser cuts, bends, machines and fabricates steel to customers’ requirements has a global blue-chip customer base including BAE, Caterpillar, Babcock and Renault Truck Defence.
High profile projects include the supply of armoured steel for increasing IED protection on British army vehicles in Afghanistan and key structural components for offshore windfarms.
The company has recently signed its largest-ever export contract worth £4m to supply components to a German defence and aerospace group.
It has expanded its export markets beyond Europe to North Africa, Asia, the Middle East and North America.
The letting, the biggest deal of its kind in South Yorkshire this year, was secured by property consultants King Sturge.
The purpose-built industrial unit, comprises three large bays originally developed in 1970 and a fourth bay in 1990.
It was occupied previously by DHL Logistics, part of the global DHL Group, which operated the facility for supermarket group J Sainsbury until its contract ended.
MTL, which employs more than 250 staff and is relocating from a manufacturing facility at Crucible Works in Sheffield, has differentiated itself from its competitors by investing in excess of £6m in world class equipment over the last four years.
More than £5m is to be invested in the infrastructure of the new site to give a high efficiency, low energy facility.
Managing director Dr Henry Shirman said: “By focusing on customers’ requirements we have expanded rapidly into new sectors and are now a world-leader supplying across the globe.
“The strategic investment in the new site will see MTL more than double in size and enable us to deliver a greater range of services to our customers.”
As well as receiving assistance from Yorkshire Forward, MTL has also worked with Creative Sheffield and Rotherham Investment and Development Office on relocating to the new site.
Simon Hill, executive director of business at the regional development agency, said: “MTL Group’s expansion and relocation is great news for the region; building on our international manufacturing offering and creating 50 new jobs.
“It demonstrates Yorkshire’s manufacturing strengths with MTL grasping the opportunities that exist for focussed specialist manufacturing which is the main focus of the new regional manufacturing strategy.”
The Leeds office of property agents GVA Grimley acted alongside King Sturge on the deal, while the Sheffield office of property consultants Knight Frank acted for MTL.
Richard Harris, King Sturge’s industrial team partner, said: “This letting, the biggest of its kind in South Yorkshire this year, demonstrates that there is still occupier demand for the right product, at the right price and in the right location.”
