VEKA to invest £5m in Burnley site

VEKA has unveiled plans to invest around £5m in its Burnley plant this year, boosting its production and finishing capacity.

Based on Farrington Road, the company is one of the town's largest employers. The new plans include acquiring the building adjacent to its current headquarters, adding 40,000 sq ft to the existing 380,000 sq ft site.

The new building will enable growth of the company’s specialist lamination department, where colours and woodgrain effects are applied to VEKA’s high quality PVC-U profile, ready to be made into window and door frames by customers across the British Isles.

Dave Jones, managing director, said: “VEKA is part of a global group, and came to Burnley in 1986. Back then, the UK plant had just four extrusion lines. I’m proud to say we now have 34 extrusion lines and we employ around 400 people, with 91 per cent of our workforce living within the BB postcode.

“Despite a relatively flat market predicted for 2018, VEKA has always been well placed to capitalise on pockets of growth in our sector and invest our success back into the business, and the East Lancashire economy.

“Following the £5m we spent building the country’s most technically advanced PVC-U mixing plant in 2014, there has been a continued pattern of investment, including – for example - £400,000 last year allocated to energy efficiency upgrades for the plant. Improved lighting, heating and high bay racking meant that our warehouse facility achieved a 25% reduction in electricity consumption in 2017.

“As well as the new building and equipment for the lamination department, we’ll also be making improvements to our specialist maintenance and tooling department this year. “The aim - as always - is to ensure that we are providing the finest products in the most efficient manner for our customers."