Draeger Safety GBP3m expansion in Blyth
Draeger Safety has completed the second phase of a GBP3M expansion programme and opened a new Technical Centre at its Blyth, Northumberland site
Draeger Safety has completed the second phase of a GBP3M expansion programme and opened a new Technical Centre at its Blyth, Northumberland site. Employing 380 people, Draeger Safety manufactures a wide range of respiratory protection and gas detection systems for use in firefighting and industrial applications. This state-of-the-art, 3150 sq m building houses 67 people on two floors and incorporates one of the six Draeger Gas Detection Systems Centres around the world.
It also features an Engineering Design Centre complete with an innovative inspirational area and a leading edge prototype model shop.
On opening the building, Prof Dr-Ing Albert Jugel, CEO of Draeger Safety, commented, ‘The fact that we are in a position to open a Technical Centre of this calibre is testament to our on-going innovation policy.
In my opinion, the UK is now the best technical and manufacturing design centre in the Draeger world’.
He added, ‘Draeger Gas Detection Systems, in particular, has enjoyed unprecedented growth in the last five years and I am sure that this building will have a huge, positive effect on its future growth.
I am pleased to see that we have space for further expansion and hope that recent successes will continue’.
Jim Varah, UK Managing Director was delighted with the new facility and commented, ‘This new facility will allow us to further expand our activities here in Blyth and I would like to thank everyone who has worked so hard to make this a reality.
It has been a very worthwhile effort and we can now look forward to even more successes in the future’.
He concluded, ‘Looking to the future is part of our ‘Pioneering Solutions’ philosophy and we are confident that, with this new building, we will be able to continue our work in innovating, developing and producing state of the art respiratory protection and gas detection systems to meet the needs and expectations of our customers’.
Phase one of the expansion programme was completed in April, 2004 with the opening of a 19,000 sq ft facility.
Phase three of the UK expansion programme will commence this month with the complete refurbishment, internally as well as externally, of one of the original site buildings.
This is due for completion at the end of November, 2005 and will be followed by a two-year programme to upgrade the rest of the site in a similar manner.