Clearview National February 2016 - Issue 171 | Page 6

INDUSTRYNEWS

Investment set to
boost jobs ‘up North’
BLACKBURN building products firm GAP has
announced a £10million investment project
creating 200 new jobs in the town.
»»The expansion and new
factory on Shadsworth Business Park was
hailed as a major boost to East Lancashire by
local Chamber of Commerce executive Mike
Damms.
The fast-growing company, founded in
Accrington in 1993, hopes to start work early
this year on a 130,000 sq ft state-of-the-art
manufacturing facility. It will be close to its
existing corporate offices, trade depot and
door and window factories.
It aims to double its existing 200-strong
workforce at the site on Partnership Way as it
extends its nationwide network of 40 depots
to 100 branches by the end of 2017.
The announcement of the new window
production line has been praised by East
Lancashire Chamber of Commerce chief
executive Mr Damms, Blackburn MP Kate
Hollern and borough regeneration boss Phil
Riley.
GAP Ltd, founded by Charles Greensmith
and Simon Bird, moved to Shadsworth in
1995 with a few dozen workers and now,
subject to planning approval by Blackburn
with Darwen Council, hopes to have 400
there within two years.
Mr Greensmith said: “We’re very excited
to be able to support the local job market
and are delighted to be able to continue
investing in the personal and professional
growth of our 200 existing Blackburn
staff. “We expect to double the size of the
workforce when the new facility comes on
stream.”

6 » F EB 2016 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M

The £65million-a-year turnover firm,
employing 560 staff nationwide, is one of the
UK’s largest manufacturers of PVCu building
products including the Rockdoor, Homeline
and Homeframe brands.
Some 10,000 of its doors are in homes,
many social housing, across Blackburn.
Mr Damms said: “This is tremendous news
for an excellent company, Blackburn and the
whole of East Lancashire.
“It is the perfect New Year gift offering
high-quality, manufacturing jobs to the area.
“This investment will be a great start to the
New Year for East Lancashire business and is a
sign of growing confidence and activity. I am
delighted.”
Cllr Riley said: “This is great news. It is a
great result for local people offering proper
manufacturing jobs and another sign of
businesses’ growing confidence in Blackburn
with Darwen and its regeneration plans.”
Mrs Hollern said: “I am delighted. It is
another endorsement of the good work that
is being carried out locally to ensure that
Blackburn’s economy grows and the town
continues to be attractive to employers.
“GAP should also be congratulated for the
confidence and commitment they have shown
in Blackburn. Let’s hope that this year sees
more good news such as this.”
Blackburn Borough council Tory group
leader Mike Lee said: “This is fantastic news.
In 2007 then Blackburn MP Jack Straw
opened the firm’s existing 47000 sq ft central
warehouse on Shadsworth Business Park.
The 130,000 sq ft new
building will be next
door, creating a huge
development.
Mr Straw said: “This
is fantastic news and a
tribute to this locallygrown and fast expanding
company.”
The new factory is said
to be the most advanced

PVCu window and door manufacturing plant
in the UK and underlines GAP’s long-term
commitment to supporting the local economy
and workforce.
A privately-owned business, GAP already
operates a network of 40 trade counters
across the UK ranging from Aberdeen to
Enfield.
It plans to expand with a further 24 depots
by the end of this year and aims to have 100
by the end of 2017.
GAP opened its latest depot in Oldham in
January.
GAP Oldham, which is managed by Gary
Wood and his team, is a large depot which
will service existing and new customers
in and around the Oldham area with an
extensive range of PVCu building products
such as Homeline fascias and soffits, FloPlast
guttering, soudal silicone and sealants and
Klober dry verge.
The Oldham Depot also features
a Rockdoor display as well as Origin
bifolds and Homeframe window displays.
Customers can also call in and collect
Firestone rubber cover cut to size, or check
out the new liquid flat roofing system called
Desmopol.
www.gap.uk.com