GLOBAL DEFENCE SUPPLIER MTL GROUP MOVES TO NEW PREMISES

Armour plate specialist MTL Group, has announced expansion plans that will enable it to increase the range of services provided to customers.

MTL Group, which laser & waterjet cuts, bends, machines and fabricates steel to customers’ requirements has a global blue-chip customer base including BAE, General Dynamics, Renault Trucks Defense and Lockheed. High profile projects include the supply of armoured belly-plates for increasing IED protection on British Army Vehicles in Afghanistan and perforated steel add on armour.

The company has recently received its largest-ever export contract worth £4m to supply components to a German defence and aerospace group. It has expanded its export markets beyond Europe to North Africa, Asia, the Middle East and North America.

Following a management buyout in 2006, the business has already more than doubled in size and is now relocating from its current Sheffield base to a new 300,000 square feet advanced manufacturing facility in Rotherham (see below), which will house the company’s state of the art equipment and will provide space for continued expansion.

The company has differentiated itself from its competitors by investing over £6m in world class equipment over the last four years including a 640 Tonne Robotic Press and 20m Big-Bed Bevel Laser. Over £2m is to be invested in the infrastructure of the new site to give a high efficiency, low energy facility.

MTL’s Managing Director Dr Henry Shirman commented; “By focusing on customer’s requirements we have expanded rapidly into new sectors and are now a world-leader supplying across the globe. The strategic investment in the new site will see MTL more than double in size and enable us to deliver a greater range of services to our customers.”