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Measuring success as company sees demand soar for products
IT helps air-traffic controllers to guide aircraft to safety and enables mariners to find the nearest port in a storm.
The soaring demand for laser technology is driving the expansion of York-based Measurement Devices (MDL).
The company's global sales have increased by more than 20 per cent in 2008 – from 7m to 9m – and bosses at MDL believe they are on target to increase global sales by between 30 per cent and 40 per cent next year.
Family-owned MDL, which also has offices in Aberdeen and Houston, Texas, is the UK's largest designer, manufacturer and supplier of laser-measurement systems for the mining, civil engineering, quarrying, construction, shipping and air-traffic control industries.
It was founded in 1983 by Steve Ball, a former mines surveyor.
Mr Ball, who is the company's chairman and joint managing director, said: "We are perhaps a rarity in being a UK manufacturer which is going from strength to strength with a significant increase in sales in hand for at least the next 16 months.
"We have such a diverse range of products in a wide range of markets worldwide. When one sector is down another is invariably up. We develop niche-market products on the back of substantial research, so sales remain strong.
"Laser-measurement technology improves accuracy, productivity and enables companies to provide a far safer working environment for their staff and sub-contractors.
"Sales are continuing to grow because customers take the view that they need to invest in our products now rather than having the option to defer for cost-saving reasons."
MDL, which opened its first Yorkshire office at Castle Howard, near York, in 1999, grew out of the research and development department of an earlier business founded and sold by Mr Ball. Oilfield Hydrographic Projects, based in Aberdeen, supported marine and offshore work.
MDL, which adapted its technology for other sectors and moved to York's Northminster Business Park two years ago, has more than 50 staff and 60 agents worldwide. Earlier this year, it launched franchise businesses in Australia and Canada.
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