JELD-WEN has invested £2m in a new millworking plant at Melton Mowbray.
The plant has been opened adjacent to its windows and stairs factory and follows the closure of the former millwork operations at Lowestoft earlier this year.
JELD-WEN said the new operation had created more than 30 new jobs and involved a fully integrated production line from Weinig, which can operate shorter production runs and quicker changeover times to improve efficiency and respond to customer requirements.
“We will eventually be running a three-shift system and expect the mill to be operating to near capacity over the next 12 months,” said production and commercial director John Shaw.
Mr Shaw said using the latest technology to make products at the most competitive market costs was important for the company to continue to serve the window market with UK manufactured, high performance, low U-value products.
“This is part of our ambitious plan for the future and shows our true commitment to manufacturing products in the UK, where many other manufacturers are only assembling and finishing products over here, with cheap components shipped in from abroad.”
JELD-WEN announced the closure of its former millwork factory in Lowestoft last December. The site, which had employed 194 people, had suffered from the effects of the construction downturn and had been under-utilised.
