HRH the Duke of Kent has officially opened a £5 million factory extension at Barnsley-based Naylor Industries (www.naylor.co.uk); this houses a high-tech production line making large-diameter plastic drainage pipes for customers across the UK in the infrastructure, agriculture and utilities sectors.

Founded in 1890, Naylor originally manufactured clay pipes, but it expanded into plastic in 2000 and now makes enough pipe each year to stretch around the world twice.

Edward Naylor took over as chief executive in 1993, when the company had sales of £12 million and was making a loss; its turnover broke through the £50 million barrier for the first time this year, and it currently employs 400 people at six UK sites.

Mr Naylor said: “We often have torrential rain now, and we saw a gap in the market — producing larger pipes to protect Britain from flooding. As it rains more heavily, we need larger-capacity pipelines to deal with storm water.”

The Duke of Kent had a thorough tour of the factory with Mr Naylor and met staff members and apprentices. Mr Naylor said: “Queen Victoria was on the throne when my great-grandfather founded Naylor Industries.

"It was an honour to show the Duke of Kent around our facilities.” He added that Naylor Industries trades internationally and has exported its pipes to 65 overseas markets.

“We hope in due course to get our share of the big infrastructure projects that are in the pipeline, such as high-speed rail, smart-motorway and nuclear-power.”