COMPANY CELEBRATES 10 YEARS TRADING & NEW EXPANSION

A local company is celebrating 10 years of business in Loughor along with creating 15 jobs at its new Hendy plant.

Ben Hughes Engineering Ltd started trading in 2004 after a buy out from Ben Hughes Loughor Foundry, established in 1864.

Over the last three years, the volume of work has increased to the point where capacity was reached at their site in Loughor.

Although their main office remains at the original premises along the banks of the Loughor Estuary, the company has now expanded into additional premises in Hendy.

Specialists in the machining of titanium for the aerospace industry, alongside local partners they supply prestigious customers including Rolls Royce, Airbus and Pratt & Whitney.

The move to Hendy was made with the support of Carmarthenshire County Council and LIF Cymru, to expand their operation.

They now employ 74 people, plus one apprentice, and along with the specialist service they undertake general engineering projects and a variety of metal working services, including machine maintenance for Vale Inco Europe, at the Clydach Refinery in Swansea.

The expansion created 15 new jobs and allowed the successful implementation of a new product, the Trent XWB engine fan blade for the Airbus A380 –XWB.

Managing Director Stephen Bujega said: “As a company with growing vision we identified the need to expand into additional premises and the need to introduce specialist machining to meet our customers’ increasing demands.

“The advice, support and funding we received from both Carmarthenshire County Council and LIF CYMRU has proved to be invaluable to us and has enabled Ben Hughes Engineering Ltd to realise its potential.

“Consequently we were able to expand into additional premises at Hendy. The funding we have received has enabled us to modify the building, install new efficient power supplies and IT systems and complement the purchasing of the specialist machines needed.”

Carmarthenshire’s regeneration executive board member Cllr Meryl Gravell said: “Congratulations to Ben Hughes Engineering on their continued success, it is really good to see a local company doing so well and creating jobs, particularly during these difficult financial times.

“Our business support team has been instrumental in supporting them in this expansion and I would like to pay tribute to the officers who helped this happen.”

Mr Bujega added: “Our vision for the future is to continue to increase business opportunities at both our sites, to increase turnover and to create more job opportunities. We will continue to work in close partnership with both Coleg Sir Gar and LIF CYMRU.”