Shildon-based engineering firm
Bignall Group has secured funding through the
County Durham Growth Fund to support expansion plans for its Shildon Manufacturing division and in particular to boost the milling side of this business.
Although already holding a presence in the market with one key customer, Shildon Manufacturing felt this new investment would allow it to increase capacity to take in more orders and also look to deliver cost efficiencies across current products. The grant the company has been awarded from the County Durham Growth Fund will support the creation of up to eight new jobs.
High quality partsGroup commercial manager Mark Coatsworth said: “While the projects we work on are always speculative, the grant received via the County Durham Growth Fund has allowed us to upgrade and expand our milling capability. Additionally, this helps us with our business vision to provide high quality parts, excellent customer service and good, honest local employment, the three foundations that our owner John Bignall is passionate we keep in everything that we do.”
Established in 1976, Bignall Group consists of three divisions, Shildon Manufacturing which provides sub-contract precision engineering services, Cobtec toilet cubicle hardware — both of which were incorporated into the group in 1994 — and Masterlube Systems, which designs and manufactures automated lubrication equipment.
The County Durham Growth Fund is managed by Business Durham in partnership with UMi and is supported by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). All successful grant applications are appraised by UNW LLP, an independent firm of chartered accountants and business advisers.
Sarah Slaven, Business Durham interim managing director, said: “Bignall Group is one of our most historic and well-established engineering companies so it’s great to see them expanding and creating jobs.”
Simon Allen, UMi investment centre director, said: “The County Durham Growth Fund was launched to help those flagship businesses that underpin our economy and with our support, Bignall Group is undertaking an ambitious expansion project which is creating eight skilled jobs in the area.”
John Healey, UNW LLP corporate finance partner, said: “It is encouraging to see the County Durham Growth Fund continuing to support the growth of established businesses and the creation of new jobs in the region.”