Oldbury-based Steel & Alloy Processing (www.steelalloy.co.uk) has celebrated its half-century by investing £27 million in a new 115,000ft² factory equipped with ‘state of the art’ machinery, which will lead to the creation of around 60 new jobs.

The company specialises in processing steel for the automotive industry and counts the likes of Jaguar Land Rover, Honda, Ford, Volvo, Toyota and BMW among its customers.

Speaking when work began in February last year, managing director Mark Cooper said: “Our main facility in West Bromwich is at full capacity, and this significant investment demonstrates the confidencethat our parent company, Gonvarri Steel Services, has in the UK business.

"It will allow us to develop new processing technologies and materials to meet the ever increasing demands of the UK automotive industry and secure the company’s position as the leader in the field.

“It is great to have found a new site so close to our existing operations, and we are grateful to both the council and the Department for International Trade for their support in getting us to this stage.”