Engineering tech firm to launch £1.58m digital services centre in Sheffield

A technology firm specialising in engineering solutions has secured a grant to open a new digital services centre in South Yorkshire.

Lontra has been awarded £1.58m from the Sheffield City Region Local Growth Fund to launch the centre on the Advanced Manufacturing Park at Catcliffe.

Founded in 2004 in Warwickshire, Lontra specialises in compressor technology using its new patented geometry, the Lontra Blade Compressor.

The firm works with a range of industries, including water treatment, food production, pharmaceutical, chemical and cement manufacture.

The new facility, which is expected to create 53 jobs by 2024, is the first step in Lontra’s planned expansion in the area, with other plans including a customer support operation base and a new “smart” factory.

Steve Lindsey, CEO of Lontra, commented: “This is the start of an ambitious programme to build our digital services business globally. We could have located it anywhere in the UK or indeed the world, but we chose Sheffield.

“Locating here means having access to an abundance of skilled workers and being able to build our supplier network on a local basis. We see it as a real win-win both for us and for the local economy.”

“Sheffield has a strong history of manufacturing excellence and we plan to collaborate with a number of organisations in the area, including the AMRC.

“The city is also well served by good access to motorway networks and the ports, which will have many benefits as the majority of our products will eventually be produced here and will be exported to the US.”

James Muir, chairman of the Sheffield City Region LEP, added: “This is the first step in a larger investment opportunity that will ultimately see Lontra basing its manufacturing capability here.

“It is great news that the new digital centre and future manufacturing plant will create many new high value jobs in the region.”