Siddall & Hilton Ltd has invested over £2M in a specialist fencing mesh production plant now installed and operational at the company’s Brighouse factory. It is believed to be the world’s largest mesh manufacturing plant, enabling the company to manufacture fencing mesh panels up to 3.5 metres in width. The new machinery has been developed specifically for Siddall & Hilton. Manufactured to a unique design, it is now predominantly running on the production of mesh panel sizes and designs which optimise the capabilities of the equipment, increasing efficiency and throughput.

Commenting for the company, Managing Director Kevin Steers outlined the potential of the new equipment. “The machine gives us the facility to manufacture rigid fencing panels at greater widths than before, with subsequent user advantages in terms of reductions in support posts required and lower build costs,” he stated. “As a result, we expect to further increase our market share in both domestic and export markets.”

Investment in new machinery combined with a successful export sales drive has seen the company’s fencing sales rise by over 70% since 2003, with export sales now representing more than 20% of turnover. Selling mainly into the security and defence markets across the globe, Siddall & Hilton Products has made significant inroads into the market in Western Europe, and is now seeing demand growing from the Middle East and Africa, as well as growing sales on the other side of the world in Australasia. Active pursuit of export sales has been a catalyst behind the decision to invest in new machinery and equipment to satisfy this growing demand. [www.sandhp.com]