Northern Ireland-based SDC Trailers celebrated its 40 anniversary last month with an Open Day for customers and suppliers at its Toomebridge factory (followed by a dinner in Belfast).

More than 350 people attended the dinner, where the audience heard from founder Seamus McCloy and CEO Enda Cushnahan.

The latter said: “I have been with the company for half of its 40 years, and it is a privilege to now serve as its
CEO.

“I see my role as building on the legacy of Seamus McCloy and taking the company forward into another 40 years of success.”

Mr McCloy began the company in a small shed, and it now employs almost 1,000 people, building bespoke semi-trailers at four UK manufacturing plants.

The trailer range features over 500 variants, from curtain-siders and box-vans to skeletal, platform and urban trailers — all made to order.

Earlier this year, SDC (www.sdctrailers.com) completed a £7 million expansion of its manufacturing plant in Toomebridge, creating 50 new jobs and increasing its weekly trailer output by 50%.

The company recently opened two new training facilities at the site: a piping and wiring training centre; and a welding centre with eight welding bays (equipped with cutting, extraction, burning, clamping, measuring and demonstration equipment).