Investment in new technology set to boost turnover for Hanson

A Yorkshire manufacturer of concrete garages and light industrial units is set to increase its turnover by a third this year after investing in production technology.

Featherstone-based Hanson Garages, which operates throughout the UK, has invested in a semi-automated concrete dosing and handling machine after gaining asset finance backing from Yorkshire Bank Leeds Financial Solutions Centre (FSC) through its Investing for Growth initiative.

The new machine will help Hanson Garages to expand its product range. The investments have helped to create seven jobs in management, sales and production.

Hanson Garages managing director, Giles Hanson, who took over the business in 1994, said yesterday: “Recent changes mean that we are the second largest manufacturer in the industry and have a significant opportunity to expand. These investments are helping us to achieve this and we are on track to deliver a 30 per cent increase in our productivity this year.

“About 85 per cent of our business is in the domestic concrete garage market, supplying the general public, with the rest in manufacturing light industrial units and batteries of garages.

“Yorkshire Bank helped us to move to our three-acre, 33,000 sq ft headquarters at Green Lane Industrial Estate in 2005.

“The market in which we operate is very competitive and customers are obviously feeling the effects of the Government cuts and austerity drives, but we have built a good reputation during the last 17 years and this gives confidence to our customers.”

Hanson Garages operates across the UK. The company, which recently secured major contracts in Portsmouth and Grimsby, has 50 staff and turnover of around £4m.

Jonathan Smith, Yorkshire Bank Leeds FSC asset finance partner, said: “We are seeing encouraging signs of growing interest in asset finance from businesses that have seen an opportunity to invest in technology and grow.”

Yorkshire Bank’s Investing for Growth initiative enables businesses to take advantage of loan repayment holidays, interest-only repayments and extended loan and credit terms.

Businesses signing up to the package can re-invest the cash into their operation for expansion.