Engineering startup in Sunderland to create 10 skilled jobs

An engineering business founded six months ago in Sunderland is already looking to double capacity and create jobs for the city.

Turnmill Engineering, which currently employs a team of four, will create 10 skilled jobs over the next two years.

Set up in February by engineers Andrew Howe, Tony Renwick and Peter Tindle, the firm will also double its floor space at Washington Business Centre to 5,000 sq ft in the coming months.

Turnmill’s aim is to target the automotive industry. With Nissan’s Sunderland site located nearby, it has already worked with a number of companies in the the auto giant’s supply chain.

Over the last six months, Turnmill has also made headway in other industries, including contracts with green energy and renewables businesses, and firms in the construction and advanced manufacturing sectors.

Turnmill makes consumables, jigs and fixtures and machine components. It also offers design services, supported by computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided manufacturing (CAM) tech.

Director Andrew Howe said: “Initially we were intending to solely focus on the automotive industry but things have just exploded into other areas as well since we opened.

“Washington Business Centre is a fantastic location for us, as a lot of manufacturers pass our doors every day and we’ve picked up a lot of customers that way.”

He continued: “Part of our success comes from seeing a gap in the market for a customer services-focused engineering business. Many suppliers in our sector tend to neglect this side of their operations, and simply focus on making components and selling them.

“We have strived to be customer services-led from the outset, and our commitment is winning results.”

Sunderland City Council supported Turnmill’s move into Washington Business Centre and subsequent growth.

Council Leader Cllr Graeme Miller commented: “In less than a year, Turnmill has not only created a fast-growing business but also one that is highly diversified, with a presence in several lucrative and emerging sectors.

“Its success provides further evidence of the region’s world class engineering talent and Sunderland’s thriving knowledge economy and manufacturing hubs.”