Lynx Precast Limited, specialists in the design, manufacture and installation of precast concrete flooring systems for the UK construction industry, has invested more than £120,000 to expand its manufacturing capacity.
Based at the former Rio Tinto smelter site in Ashington, Lynx Precast is the only manufacturer producing both hollowcore slab and T beams in the North East.
The investment has funded the installation of a new state-of-the-art hollowcore casting machine to extend the Lynx product range by manufacturing 100 mm to 300 mm deep hollowcore slabs. It is also the company’s first step in meeting rising customer demand by increasing production capacity on site to 12,000 m² per month.
Lynx has also invested in a fleet of six tonne side-loading forklift trucks through Northern Handling Systems on Teesside. Since launching in January 2014, the company has already invested more than £1 million in the plant, which also produces beam and block flooring and insulated flooring systems.
“We are a young, ambitious company and want to continue to grow our market share in the UK construction sector. The recent housing support announcement by George Osbourne in his budget was very encouraging. The housing sector needs long-term sustainable growth with sensible mortgage lending criteria to help keep house price inflation in check.
“By investing in the new hollowcore casting machine and forklifts we aim to boost our competitiveness, manufacturing capacity and add value to our service offering in order to meet the projected growth in new business.
“We are using the very latest software, manufacturing techniques and equipment to offer our customers a high quality product manufactured in the UK,” said Andy Teasdale, Lynx Precast managing director.
The company currently employs 28 people and has a projected turnover of £6 million in 2016. The team includes draftsmen, estimators, technicians, fabricators and installers.
Lynx Precast customers include independent housebuilders looking for bespoke flooring solutions to major regional and national developers. Recent projects have included care homes for Galliford Try Partnerships and Walter Thompson and a large student accommodation development in Newcastle for Brims Construction.