Work is underway on a new base for South Bank machining specialist Collingwood Engineering.
The Barton business was acquired by key client Jason Dear two years ago, with a plan to relocate immediately hatched.
Now, with support from the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership secured, land on Humber Road was purchased in December 2017 from North Lincolnshire Council and planning permission received.
Supporting a variety of sectors, including engineering, food production, manufacturing and oil refining, the company is moving from Dam Road to a purpose-built 300 sq m workshop facility on neighbouring Humber Road, with additional office space.
Mr Dear, who used Collingwood’s services for his specialist rail loading and rail shunting production business, Trainload, said: “The main contractor has been appointed and works have now started on site, with an end of March completion date.
"The business has seen exceptional growth in the last two years, with turnover increasing four-fold. With a history stretching back more than 50 years, Collingwood’s existing location was not sustainable for continued growth.
“We had outgrown the premises and it wasn’t set up correctly for our future requirements. The new workshop will have far better access, with a five tonne overhead crane, which will help throughput.
“The team in the workshop have worked extremely hard, and they have been a big part in the growth, with output increasing, they have been extremely helpful working overtime for most of the last two years. They can see the future, the growth, and what the new premises will bring us.”
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From a team of two transferring when the purchase of the company was completed, Collingwood now employs six, with at least two more positions being created.
“We are looking for another time served turner and administrative support,” Mr Dear said. “This will deliver the expansion as a first phase, with the plot of land offering more room. The plan is, if the business keeps going as it is, to add an additional workshop space in the future. We have taken our time, to evaluate the business and its needs over the last two years, before committing to the move.
Alongside the development the company has pushed quality procedures and is in the process of applying for the ISO 9001 standard.
“We offer an excellent service to all our client’s from initial enquiry to delivery.” Mr Dear said. “We hope to have the ISO 9001 accreditation first quarter of 2020 ready for when we move into the new premises.”
Jon Bayley of Keystone Architecture has brought forward the steel portal frame design, to accommodate the machine shop equipment, and is also overseeing the build with the main contractor.
Market Rasen based contractor Evergreen has been appointed, with managing director Sean Tucker, confirming a team of six will deliver the project.
It has been supported with £30,000 from the Humber LEP’s Growing the Humber grant scheme, part of the Local Growth Fund programme.
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David Kilburn of MKM Building supplies chairs the LEP’s investment panel. He said: “Growing the Humber has been very successful in helping businesses of all shapes and sizes to make key investments that enable them to grow and employ more people. Trainload Limited /Collingwood
Engineering is an excellent example of a North Lincolnshire business that has great growth potential and it is gratifying that the Humber LEP has been able to support them through this scheme.”
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