WEC invests £10m in new Blackburn operation

Lancashire headquartered WEC Group has started work on the construction of a new £10m heavy machining and nuclear fabrication plant on Blackburn’s Walker Park.

Once open it will be the largest facility of its kind in Europe and is set to create 60 new jobs.

The 60,000 sq ft state-of-the-art plant also marks a significant milestone in the group’s ongoing expansion strategy. WEC says it will also cement its position as “the premier subcontract manufacturing business in the UK”.

The new facility is being built next to the existing WEC Machining facility and its recently inaugurated apprentice academy.

The purpose-built development will support the UK’s industrial capabilities in key sectors such as nuclear, defence, offshore, and general engineering.

Steve Fitzpatrick, chief executive of machining at WEC Group, said: “Our £10m investment in WEC Heavy Machining and Nuclear Fabrication underscores our ongoing commitment to adding value to our customers’ supply chains and this consolidates our position in the UK’s number one subcontract manufacturing company.

“With this new facility, we are not only expanding our capacity but also enhancing our overall ability to deliver turnkey solutions for large and oversized projects.

“The scale and precision of our new equipment are set to transform the subcontracting landscape, offering unparalleled services in the UK.”

The facility will be equipped with six large CNC machining centres, capable of handling components up to 20 meters in length and five meters in diameter, significantly expanding the group’s existing capabilities at its plants in Blackburn and Darwen.

Steve Hartley, group managing director, said: “This expansion is a pivotal part of our strategy to maintain and extend our leadership in the subcontract manufacturing industry. We are proud to invest in not only our company's future but also in the economic growth of Blackburn and the wider region.”

The company says the facility is expected to create 60 new jobs including 10 additional machining apprentices.

WEC Group has been at the forefront of the UK metal fabrication and engineering industry for more than 40 years.

With 900 staff and nine manufacturing sites in Lancashire, Merseyside, Yorkshire and the West Midlands, the company is made up of 15 specialist divisions spread across over 600,000 sq ft of production facilities.

Steve Hartley and Steve Fitzpatrick are pictured here breaking the ground for the new development.