Road Tankers Northern Ltd — based in Hoyland (near Barnsley) and counting Shell, Calor Gas, Morrisons and Sainsburys among its customers — is “investing in growth” and creating more skilled manufacturing jobs.

The company designs, builds, services and inspects tankers for carrying petroleum and LPG. Over the past 20 years, it has become the leading supplier of road tankers to the UK bulk-liquid haulage industry, securing nearly 75% of the domestic market.

Now, RTN is embarking on a further period of expansion and aims to create around 15 jobs in the next year in areas such as design, fabrication, welding, electronics, inspection and administration. Its plans are being supported by Enterprising Barnsley, the economic development arm of Barnsley Council.

RTN operations director Don McKelvie said: “We are very proud to be creating more skilled jobs in manufacturing right now.

“A lot of people just don’t realise that Barnsley is the centre of the UK road-tanker manufacturing industry, and it’s not happened by accident; our growth has been down to sustained investment in plant, premises, workforce and innovation. The support we have had in Barnsley has been excellent.

“The Enterprising Barnsley team is fully committed to promoting the success of business in the borough, and they’ve worked alongside us all the way.”

When RTN first moved from Sheffield 23 years ago, it took on two units at Platts Common Industrial Estate; the firm now occupies 75% of the estate, with plans to extend further and develop six more paint, service and inspection bays later this year.

The company also plans to add four or five new vehicles to its UK-wide tank testing and inspection fleet. It is investing almost £500,000 in the current expansion programme, which includes two robotic arms and the latest laser cutting technology to increase productivity and bring the production of precision parts in-house.