Regional support for major steel bending expansion

Barnshaw Steel Bending has invested more than £1M in new equipment as part of a major expansion at its Wolverhampton site.

The investment has been made possible, in part, thanks to a £230,000 Grant for Business Investment (GBI), administered by regional development agency Advantage West Midlands on behalf of the Government.

New equipment includes the installation of what is thought to be the largest cold bending, three roll section bender ever produced. The machine has the capability to bend the largest steel sections produced by Corus and it can bend far tighter radii than previously achievable.

“Our investment is a serious amount of money, especially during the current economic downturn,” said Greg North, Barnshaw Section Benders Commercial Director. “We have a philosophy of what the machine will do for the market place over the next five to ten years, not just the next 18 months.”

Regional Minister Ian Austin, said: “I am delighted to see companies like Barnshaws investing in state-of-the-art machinery and creating new jobs. Barnshaws is a real bedrock company and it has shown its commitment to the Black Country.”