Member Article

Engineering firm sets sights on £10 million turnover with new Killingworth base

Lifting and inspection specialists JK Lifting has opened the doors at its new site on Camperdown Industrial Estate, as the company targets £10 million turnover in the next five years, following significant investment.

Previously the HQ of construction firm Metnor, JK Lifting has now renamed the building Lift Point House. It provides 1,439 sqm of space, increased capacity and added space for lifting, testing, inspecting and manufacturing.

The move strengthens the business’s current site portfolio, as it expands its regional footprint. JK Lifting also has a 240 sqm unit at Port of Blyth’s South Harbour, which operates as a one-stop shop for businesses within the Port and visiting vessels.

As part of the move, the firm has invested over £180,000 in remodelling the premises, including the installation of an overhead crane. In September, Andrew Mason joined the firm as Operations Director having spent 26 years leading the team at energy technology company Baker Hughes in Wallsend. Together with managing director James Bright, the pair intend to grow the business to new heights in the coming years.

The move to the new site is part of JK Lifting’s bold growth strategy, following significant contract wins in the offshore, marine, renewable, construction, engineering and manufacturing sectors, both regionally and nationally. Customers include Equinor, Helix, PFC Marine and The Port of Blyth.

Speaking of the move, managing director James Bright said: “The scale and volume of the contracts we are winning mean that we outgrew our previous base on the Hawick Industrial Estate, Ouseburn in Newcastle, and required the additional space and capacity this unit offers.

“When the opportunity came up to take on these premises, we knew this was the ideal space for our full range of services, including testing and inspection, design and manufacture, contract lifting and moving, alongside product sales and hire.

“This new site is the latest step in our growth story, and we are proud to rename this building Lift Point House to reflect our ambition to be market leaders in the lifting, test and inspection sector.

“We are excited about our future and looking forward to making the most of this extra space by increasing our headcount in the coming months and years, including creating new engineering and sales roles within the business.”

The company is currently seeking professionals with a background in sales, ideally from a manufacturing, engineering or lifting background alongside a design engineer. 

Originally known as John Kesson Lifting and run by managing director James Bright since 2019, JK Lifting has been operating since 1983.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Emily Bloor .