New jobs created after grant funding helps Northumberland engineering firm expand

The Wooler-based firm, which specialises in large-scale commercial and agricultural steel frame construction, applied to The North of Tyne Rural Business Growth Service and secured a grant of £42,640 for the acquisition of new plant costing over £106,000.

The new plant, a 14-tonne excavator with Steel Wrist Tilt Rotator provided Glendale Engineering with increased capability to engage and complete civil engineering works along with the manufacture and erection of the steel frames on large scale construction projects.

This enables the business to take on larger scale projects than were previously possible and increase its efficiency and profitability through its new plant and machinery.

Thanks to the grant support, Glendale Engineering was able to start a brand-new arm of the business in ground works, leading to the hire of four new full-time staff.

The firm, started 37 years ago by Gordon and Graeme Wilson in their dad’s garage at Milfield, now employs 60 staff.

Paul McKenna, Glendale Engineering finance director Paul McKenna said: “This expansion project into ground works has been in our business plans for some time now as we were receiving more and more enquiries to deliver the complete package. We would not have been able to get this project off the ground in such a timely manner without this support.”

Glendale Engineering projects include building stores for Asda, Lidl and Aldi, schools, sports centres and data centres as well as farm buildings, specialist livestock feeding and handling equipment to boost agricultural productivity.

Cllr Richard Wearmouth, chairman of Advance Northumberland, said: “It’s great to see such a well-established business in one of our most rural areas continue to go from strength to strength.

“This grant funding has helped the company expand not only its reach but also its workforce and we wish them every continued success.”

The North of Tyne Rural Business Growth Service, a £7.896m business support project, helped the company to prepare the grant application.

The programme is part funded by the England European Regional Development Fund and the North of Tyne Combined Authority.

To find out more, please contact the Rural Business Growth Service Team on 01670 528 400, email [email protected]k or visit www.ruralbusinessgrowthservice.co.uk

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