Sheffield Forgemasters: Land acquisitions near Meadowhall will enable 'state-of-the-art' manufacturing facilities to be built in Sheffield’s industrial heartland

Heavy engineering company Sheffield Forgemasters has completed multiple land purchases in the Meadowhall area of the city.
Lizzie Murphy
By Lizzie Murphy
Published 1st May 2024, 16:45 BST

The purchases total 21 acres of brownfield land over three plots adjacent to the company’s Brightside Lane site, with the aim of developing additional facilities as its recapitalisation programme gears up.

The Ministry of Defence-owned company, which declined to disclose the value of the investment, is already in the process of constructing a new 13,000 tonne heavy forge facility and has earmarked the largest plot of land, located on Weedon Street, for the creation of a new machining line to underpin its production for the UK defence programme.

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Sheffield Forgemasters has purchased a total of 21 acres of brownfield land over three plots adjacent to the company’s Brightside Lane site in Sheffield with the aim of developing additional facilities as its recapitalisation programme gears up.Sheffield Forgemasters has purchased a total of 21 acres of brownfield land over three plots adjacent to the company’s Brightside Lane site in Sheffield with the aim of developing additional facilities as its recapitalisation programme gears up.
Sheffield Forgemasters has purchased a total of 21 acres of brownfield land over three plots adjacent to the company’s Brightside Lane site in Sheffield with the aim of developing additional facilities as its recapitalisation programme gears up.

Gareth Barker, chief operating officer at Sheffield Forgemasters, said: “The purchase of these plots of land is a game-changing venture for the company and will see state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities built in the historic centre of Sheffield’s industrial heartland.

“Our recapitalisation programme is completely transforming the company’s facilities as our modelling reshapes the site for optimum use.

“The opportunity to purchase several plots immediately adjacent to our site will enable faster, more cost effective recapitalisation than trying to reconfigure existing facilities, with the added benefit of keeping production in full flow through the existing plant.”

The company also recently completed the purchase of 10,000 sq ft of offices at Riverside Court on Brightside Lane.

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Mr Barker added: “The main focus of the land acquisition is to enable development of a new machining facility, to house 17 highly advanced machining centres, which do not exist anywhere else in the UK.”

The company will now begin work on detailed planning for submission to the planning authorities.

Sheffield Forgemasters is investing heavily across its business in a bid to provide forging and machining facilities to support defence work.

The 215-year-old business has more than 600 employees based at its 64 acre site in Sheffield.

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The Ministry of Defence acquired Sheffield Forgemasters in a £2.6m deal in 2021 to secure the supply of parts that are vital for the Royal Navy’s ships and submarines.

It promised to invest up to £400m in the business over the next decade.

The company, which traces its history back to a blacksmith forge in the 1750s, had been struggling for years as the British steel industry was being undercut by competitors in countries such as China and India.