Full steam ahead for LUR expansion

A rail component supplier is set to boost its operations across the North following a multi-million-pound investment in new industrial premises.

Lucchini Unipart Rail (LUR), a joint venture between Lucchini RS Group and Unipart that supplies wheelsets, gearboxes and bogies to the UK rail industry, is investing £6.5 million in expanding its footprint in Doncaster and Manchester to meet growing customer demand. 

Its bogie facility, in Doncaster, will relocate from Hexthorpe Road to a 102,000sq ft site in Warmsworth, doubling its capacity. 

Meanwhile, in Manchester, LUR will move its wheelset repair operations from Chadderton to a larger 63,000sq ft site at Trafford Park, streamlining activity closer to its existing head office.

The upgraded sites are due to be fully operational by autumn 2025 and will increase LUR’s capacity to 800 wheelsets and 80 bogies per month.

Phil Chilton, managing director of LUR, which employs 380 people across its Doncaster and Manchester sites, said: “Our decision to expand in Doncaster and Manchester is a response to growing customer demand and our long-term growth and service strategy. 

“This investment will allow us to increase capacity, improve efficiency, and ensure we continue to meet the needs of our customers and the UK rail industry. 

“As we celebrate the tenth anniversary of the joint venture between Lucchini RS Group and Unipart, this is an exciting step forward in our journey.”   

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