Funding puts MRC on track for growth

A South Yorkshire engineering business is on the right track for expansion after receiving new investment to support job creation and tech upgrades.

Doncaster-based MRC Engineering has secured a £150,000 loan from NPIF II – Mercia Debt Finance, managed by Mercia as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II.

Bosses say the new funding will help the firm expand its capabilities and create four new roles at a time of sustained investment across the UK rail network.

Martin Hughes, founder and managing director of MCR Engineering, who set up the firm in 2013 with his wife, Sarah, said: "Rail infrastructure is synonymous with trains and track, however telecoms systems such as signal controls and station displays are essential to keep the railways running. 

“Designing these systems is a specialist skill. 

“As many big contractors no longer have their own telecoms design teams, we aim to fill the gap. 

“The funding will help us expand our business and train new designers to meet the growing demand.”  

Rebecca Pickering of Mercia Debt added: “Martin and Sarah have worked hard to establish MRC as a leading independent consultancy and, due to the challenge of recruiting skilled staff, have even developed their own training scheme. 

“As there are very few telecoms designers and many are approaching retirement age, MRC is playing an important role in delivering the skills the UK needs to develop the future rail network.”

MRC Engineering, which holds RISQS accreditation and focuses exclusively on new rail and improvement schemes, is one of the UK’s few specialists in rail telecoms design, working with Network Rail, train operators and major contractors on systems including cabling, signalling, CCTV, phone networks and station information displays. 

Its current workload includes projects at Bradford and Shipley stations under the Transpennine Route Upgrade, as well as improvements at Manchester Piccadilly. 

Previous work includes designing telecoms systems for the new Northumberland passenger line.

The firm currently employs five staff, runs its own apprenticeship pathway and serves clients such as Balfour Beatty, Galliford Try, Bombardier and Northern Rail.

The £660 million Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II) fund, operated by British Business Bank, provides loans from £25,000 to £2 million and equity investment up to £5 million to help small and medium-sized businesses.

Sarah Newbould, senior investment manager at the British Business Bank, added: “MRC Engineering is a great example of the innovative and highly skilled businesses we are supporting across the North. 

“The team is applying specialist expertise to nationally important rail projects and creating high-quality jobs in Doncaster. 

“This is exactly the type of business we aim to back through NPIF II, supporting economic growth across the region, and I look forward to seeing the next stage of their development.”

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