Donaldson Timber Engineering (DTE) Midlands is moving forward with a large expansion programme which, it claims, will eventually make it the largest truss manufacturing facility in England.
A “major capital investment” towards the end of the year/early 2004 will be made in state-of-the-art automated trussed rafter machinery at the Ilkeston site, Derbyshire, doubling the current production of about 2,500 roof trusses per week.
The operation, one of six DTE nationwide manufacturing facilities, supplies trusses to customers such as George Wimpey, Westbury and Persimmon.
Steve Blackburn, general manager of DTE Midlands, said the market was growing and he was “quietly confident” of expanding the company’s order book to match the production increase.
The company has already invested about £350,000 constructing new 3,000ft2 offices using engineered timber products made in the factory. Mr Blackburn said more staff would be recruited to guarantee the extra work coming in.
The offices feature walls formed from 160mm I-joist timber frame panels, manufactured at DTE in Scotland. The ground floor has been constructed using Posi-joists and the open plan upper floor and Dutch hip roof are formed with attic trusses – all manufactured at DTE Midlands.
Staff will move into the offices during early August. It will offer a reception area, meeting rooms, a sawmill office, administration offices, accounts and the timber engineering design department.
Sawing and racking systems are also being installed to progress the company’s I-joist business.
