Member Article

Durham engineering company develops bespoke shipping product

County Durham engineering firm Hy-Dynamix™ is hoping to create as many as 27 new jobs in the region, amid plans to take the shipping industry by storm with a newly-developed product.

The firm originally created a moving-system for a client which needed to shift shipping containers around its yard. Yet, after new International Maritime Organisation legislation was introduced in July last year, the business was forced to halt developments.

After realising its hydraulic container moving system could be adapted into container weighing equipment, the business pivoted the newly-created equipment to create a different bespoke addition for the industry.

The Hy-Weigh™ is now patented and is preparing for its international launch in the first quarter of 2017 and will be manufactured here in the region at Annfield Plain.

Richard Bradley, Hy-Dynamix™ financial director, explained: “There is a worldwide market. We’ve been to the major Intermodal trade exhibition in Rotterdam and had a very successful week where we received multiple enquiries.

“For new jobs, once we start production, we’ll be looking for five people and we aim to grow to a business of 30 people, from just three at the moment.”

With the business not having experience in launching its own brand product, it turned to RTC North for advice through the Government-backed Innovate2Suceed programme.

The programme, which is fully-funded for SMEs with 250 or fewer staff and turnovers below £40 million, provides up to seven days of practical support.

Andrew Buckley, chief executive of RTC North, said: “Hy-dynamix is set to grow through innovation, and is a fantastic example of how we work with ambitious local companies to help bring ideas to reality.

“New products and new jobs are key to the region’s economic confidence.”

Hy-Dynamix™ says it has three more ideas for its own brand products, one of which is in the pipeline, and now has the knowledge to market them to customers.

Richard Bradley said: “We approached RTC North through our networks, and they’ve been really good. We would do this again.”