Since John Stalker bought out the company in December 2003, the company has invested over £700,000 in new plant and machinery without any further assistance from external agencies, though an initial grant from South Yorkshire Investment Fund supported the original purchase of the assets of the business. The new grant will enable the company to implement the remainder of its plan to upgrade further plant and machinery, install a new IT system, make handling, racking and workflow improvements and to invest in people, both customers and staff.
These improvements are intended to help the company maintain its position as premier tube cutter in England and Scotland, and the only sub-contract supplier operating from the North Midlands to Scotland.John Stalker, Laser Cuttings Managing Director said: In what are challenging times for everyone in metal based manufacturing, our investment programme is designed to maximise cost effective support to our customers so that they can continue to succeed in the ever increasingly competitive market.The company is now sporting its strongest order book ever with repeat customers booking in their cutting needs for the future. John added: We have a forward schedule worth almost £500,000, which is a boon and a bonus to the hard working team who really pulled out all the stops in 2004 to change and improve working practices.The Laser Cutting Company was rewarded for its efforts in 2004, by winning the Highly Commended trophy in the start-up category of the Sheffield Business Award. Alan Lyons, Inward Investment Manager for Sheffield First for Investmentsaid: Securing the Yorkshire Forward grant is a real coup for the Laser Cutting Company, a business that truly deserves recognition for the tremendous efforts they have made to turn the business around and make it viable again. Their work has positioned them at the top of their game, and the new investment can help them to stay there.
