‘HOME comforts’ have helped a conveyor belt manufacturer almost double in size in a year and take on new staff.

Conveyor Units, which has bases in Stourport and Lye has grown 45 per cent over the last 12 months boosted by strong demand from warehouse, distribution and post and parcel sectors.

The company, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2013, has also seen its workforce swell to 135 after taking on 15 new employees, including six apprentices.

Bosses have put this success down to focusing on domestic markets for its future growth.

Ian Bytheway, Finance Director at Conveyor Units, said: “Our philosophy is to be highly autonomous so when other rivals were looking East for cheaper prices and increased margins we were investing in new plant and equipment at our two sites in Lye and Stourport.

“This is coming home to roost now, with rising export sales and new contracts being won on a regular basis - some of this fuelled by rising online spending and increased investment from post and parcel operators to keep up with demand.

“All of our conveyors are manufactured from raw materials and then assembled on our two sites utilising in-house equipment, including laser guided presses, laser cutters, turret punch machines and our own dedicated paint plant.”

“This has been further reinforced by recent investment in a state-of-the-art Krauss Maffei plastic injection moulding machine.”

Whilst Europe has been its main international focus to date, the company is in advanced negotiations to set up a joint venture in China to manufacture conveyors for the Far East market.

Conveyor Units is one of a number of small manufacturers in the West Midlands that is concentrating on domestic markets, according to the latest Manufacturing Advisory Service Barometer.

Around 78 per cent of companies questioned in the survey felt that increasing sales at home offered them the best chance to expand.