County Durham firm invests over £500k in new machinery and premises

Steel business Finley Structures has invested over £500k in a new Voortman cutting tool as well as a manufacturing space to accommodate the machine.

Following several contract wins, the Newton Aycliffe family-run firm bought the cutting machine to improve efficiencies and increase capacity, and have seen a 10 per cent uplift in production since its installation.

Finley Structures has been working on a 640-tonne project for contractor Galliford Try at Durham University’s Maiden Castle sports facility, in addition to a triple contract win from major national firm BAM Construction at the end of last year.

Speaking about the new efficiency resulting from the machinery investment, Finley Structures’ production controller Philip Metcalfe said: “Our fittings department previously was four men using four machines producing 17.5 tonnes per week – now it’s two men using two machines producing 20 tonnes per week.

“The extra labour created will be used in other areas of the factory, meaning we’ve increased overall output, and we can also potentially provide fittings to other local fabricators.”