Moray firm to double manufacturing capacity and create new jobs

A Moray firm is set to double its manufacturing capacity and create ten well-paid jobs after securing up to £149,000 investment from HIE.

The £745,000 project by LH Stainless Ltd (LHS) will increase company turnover by more than £4.3m, £1.1m of which will be from international sales.

LHS manufactures processing equipment for the distilling industry. The company has supplied clients throughout the UK, as well as in Australia, New Zealand, Finland, Portugal, Faroe Islands and Ireland.

Since Stuart and Garry Fraser bought the company in 2000, it has grown from five employees to its current workforce of 45 across three sites in Moray, all of which are operating at full capacity.

LHS is now developing a new manufacturing facility at its site near Keith, to increase efficiency and capacity by consolidating all manufacturing into one location.

The combination of the new building design and more modern and high-tech automated machinery and plant will increase the volume and quality of the company’s manufacturing. It will enable LHS to not only fulfil its current order commitments but accommodate a forecast increase in demand.

Steve Richards, senior development manager with HIE in Moray, said the HIE funding will contribute toward the costs of construction and installation of plant and machinery at the new facility.

He added:

“LH Stainless is a really important local employer of well-paid skilled labour in Moray. The company has grown steadily over the past 20 years or so and has both the ambition and clear potential to continue that growth.

“The increase in manufacturing capacity is a huge boost for the local economy and will provide great opportunities to retain young people in Moray through attractive career opportunities.

“I am very pleased we have been able to provide support for this project and look forward to continuing to work with the company as the project develops.”

Garry Fraser, director at LHS, said:

“We’d like thank Steve Richards and his team at HIE for their support thought out this project, currently our growth has been limited by our facilities so this new manufacturing facility will allow us to expand and create more high value jobs in the local area.

“This in turn means more work for the distillation industry in Moray can be sourced locally whilst also supporting our efforts to expand throughout the UK and internationally.”