A local firm has announced "the most significant factory investment in its history".

Established in Cubbington in 1937, Thwaites has been ever-present on the same Welsh Road site for some 88 years.

The dumper manufacturer has employed generations of local families and looks to expand this with a planned £12.9 million investment in its site.

After over 70 weeks of construction, the 4,000 sqm facility is now in the final stages of commissioning before becoming operational in early 2026.

Awarding the contract to Interclass PLC, a regional developer who had experience of building in close community proximity, was of paramount importance to Thwaites.

Thwaites Managing Director Simon Hill said: "We are delighted to announce the opening of this new facility and welcome the completion of the wider work around the factory.

"We were keen to ensure we kept local disruption to a minimum.

"I was pleased to see that over a 1,000-tonne of aggregate from the excavation and demolishment, were recycled on site, reducing waggon movements on local roads by more than 100.

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"This investment will make the site an even better place to work, improve productivity and drive growth. In addition, we trust it will attract more of the industry's top engineering and manufacturing talent".

Thwaites said it is pleased, that on review, the project has engaged wherever possible, throughout the build with the local community.

This new facility will enable production capacity to be increased by 15 per cent.

The Thwaites management team only drive electric vehicles and the new factory investment delivers a total of 36 EV charging points for employees and visitors.

Critically the new factory has also been fitted with 1,483 roof solar panels, enough capacity to reduce the cost and reliance of fossil fuels, delivering up to 33 per cent of the sites future power needs.

Positioned to left of the estate, the new building is the significant structural part of a wider improvement plan that has seen:

• New concreted roadways, that safely direct and manage one way traffic flows. 
• New concrete beds, that give additional operational & loading areas.
• 248 employee refreshed & improved parking spaces on new, flat, surfaces.
• 99 new factory and front office parking spaces.
• 60 new covered motorcycle and cycle stand.
• A dedicated conservation area to sustain local wildlife.
• Landscaped gardens and frontage. 

Find out more about Thwaites and career opportunities here.