Tinsley Bridge Group is to spend £5 million on a redevelopment of its 14-acre Shepcote Lane base. The company, which began life in the 1850s manufacturing vehicle suspension springs, now makes anti-roll bars for truck producers (including Volvo and Renault), rolling-stock parts for railways and suspension components for military vehicles.

Its redevelopment plans have been helped by a £750,000 Regional Growth Fund grant secured with the help of Creative Sheffield — Sheffield City Council’s economic development body.

The proposal is to move out of an old factory on the site (built in 1959) to two new buildings, both covering 5,000 sq m.

Developers have already started building the first one, which should be finished early next year.

Managing director Mark Webber said: “This really is the start of a new era for us. We have some exciting new contracts and products coming on stream, and we need
to plan ahead.

“What makes it even more exciting is that our plans are part of a renaissance for manufacturing across the UK, particularly here in Sheffield. People are beginning
to realise that manufacturing has a real future.”

Tinsley Bridge has around 180 staff and a turnover of £16 million. Recent new contracts include supplying Network Rail with track infrastructure equipment. The new products coming on stream include a brand-new material for vehicle suspension components that can cope with extreme weight and an articulated lorry trailer that is more ‘space-efficient’.

Steve Wainwright, sector growth manager for advanced engineering and manufacturing at Creative Sheffield, said: “Tinsley Bridge has a proud history here
in Sheffield and symbolises all that is great about the city’s manufacturing sector. It is fantastic to see them growing and investing in the city, and we are delighted to have helped.”