Street Crane has received record levels of new orders over a four-month period in the middle of 2017.
The UK crane and hoist manufacturer secured more than £15m of orders in the period, up 17% on the same period in 2016. The increase was driven by several major contracts in the UK, says the company, as well as orders from overseas.
The boost in sales has also led to the company recruiting 18 new employees since the start of 2017, and launching a recruitment drive for more technical expert and apprentices.
Chris Lindley-Smith, sales director at Street Crane said: “As a major exporter, the fall in sterling since the Brexit vote has helped to boost demand for our products. The UK market has remained strong too, driven by our reputation for modern design, quality, and equipment reliability, which has resulted in our largest forward-order book for five years.
“We supply our overhead cranes and hoists to a broad range of manufacturing businesses, many of which are also benefiting from strong demand at home and abroad, so are ramping up production. This is driving orders for more efficient lifting equipment with enquiries coming in to upgrade cranes in existing factories as well as to install in new sites.”
“To manage our workload, we’ve already expanded our workforce in a number of areas including sales and on the shop floor but are seeking to take on more staff, particularly in our technical department.
“Apprentices are vital to our success, so we are making further investments in our next generation of workers too. So far this year, we’ve taken on nine apprentices across disciplines including welding, electrical, software, and mechanical engineering.
“We expect this number to rise again later this year to ensure we can continue to meet the growing demand for our products.”
