Engineer set for growth with £600,000 spend

A North East engineering firm is accelerating its growth plans with a major capital investment designed to expand capacity, boost automation and create skilled jobs.

Dyer has announced an investment of more than £600,000 into its North East operations, representing its largest capital spend in three years. 

The move supports expanded manufacturing capability, advanced automation and continued workforce growth at the company’s County Durham base.

A key part of the investment is the development of a new 8000sq ft facility at Dyer’s existing site on the Harelaw Industrial Estate. 

The new space has been designed to support fabrication and assembly activity, increasing capacity for project-based orders serving global customers in the oil, gas and energy sectors. 

It complements the company’s existing 110,000sq ft advanced manufacturing footprint and builds on more than 50 years of operations in the region.

Alongside the physical expansion, Dyer has made a significant investment in automation, installing an industry-leading Matsuura multi pallet horizontal CNC machining centre. 

The new system enables lights-out machining and allows up to 96 jobs to be loaded in a single setup, compared with one job previously, significantly increasing throughput, maximising cycle time and improving cost competitiveness. 

A new large-capacity lathe has also been added, further extending machining capability and the range of work delivered.

The investment has been matched by growth in people, with 47 new employees joining the company over the past 12 months, taking headcount to more than 190. 

Recruitment has strengthened engineering, operational and commercial teams, alongside continued investment in apprenticeships and early-career roles through the company’s award-winning apprenticeship programme.

Adam Leggett, managing director at Dyer, said: “This expansion is about building for the long term. 

“By investing in our people, equipment and facilities, we’re creating the additional capability needed to support our global customers and secure sustainable growth. 

“It’s also a clear statement of confidence in our region.

“Manufacturing here continues to evolve, and this investment helps ensure we remain competitive on a national stage.”

The expansion is also expected to support the regional supply chain, with 71 per cent of suppliers located within 50 miles of Dyer’s North East operations. 

Now part of the newly formed SST Group, the investment forms part of a wider five-year growth strategy targeting further workforce expansion, ongoing machinery investment and strengthened global partnerships by 2030.

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