Weatherite invests £500k in new factory extension
UK: Air conditioning equipment manufacturer Weatherite is investing £500,000 in an extension of its premises in West Bromwich.
The 465m2 extension to one of its four secondary factory premises will increase its size by 50% to 1400m2.
After two years of “challenging” planning negotiations, the extension is expected to be completed in the Autumn.
Discussing the extension, Weatherite Group chairman, John Whitehouse said: “We are extremely busy and our prospects are ever-growing. We therefore need to provide extra manufacturing and storage space.”
As well as the extension, the company has also recruited ten employees across the Group over recent months, and further invested another £800k in new machinery.
“The incredibly important production process starts in the machine shop and a number of the Amada machines are now more than 20 years old, the oldest being 30 years old and although still working, are becoming less reliable,” Whitehouse explained.
“As a consequence, Weatherite Group has decided that where possible, it should have at least two machines that are able to perform the same or similar function and, in that respect, the company has purchased a new Schroder folder at a cost of £200k and a £300k Amada turret punch press.”
The company has also installed a new Italian hot wire cutter which will be used to accurately cut thick Polyfoam insulation. This has been made necessary to comply with new regulations which require that the company’s air handling units be built with much improved thermal properties and thereby providing a more energy efficient product.
