A COMPANY is set to invest £400,000 to expand its business and create seven new jobs.

Accrington-based SJA Film Technologies, which employs 32 people, has been given help by Lancashire Business Growth Fund (LBGF) for its expansion programme.

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The Accrington-based company, formed in 2003, specialises in slitting, rewinding and film supplying, and also produces stocks of plastic films, cast polypropylene, oriented polypropylene, degradable films, polyester, sandwich lidding film, release liner and paper.

Currently, it owns two spool winding machines and is able to produce its own products as well as customers’ products, but to help the business grow, the company has invested in a larger capacity spooling machine.

The directors at SJA Film Technologies, Tim Poskitt, Dave Hoy and Jon Harvey, said they were delighted by the expansion.

Mr Poskitt said: “We are really excited about this development within the business.

“The funding will enable us to increase our capacity and grow the business.

“The grant from Lancashire Business Growth Fund has made a real difference.

“We are still waiting for the machine to arrive but it is coming to us next week.”

After contacting LBGF, the firm was awarded a grant of £70,000 to assist them.

Mandy Lockett, LBGF programme manager and international business director of the East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, said: “This investment will help finance new machinery that in turn will safeguard two jobs and create a further seven.

“The money is only on offer for two years, so we need businesses in Lancashire to take advantage of it as soon as possible.

“So if you’re a business based in Lancashire, please give us a call to discuss your project ideas.”

The scheme is aimed to boost the economy across the UK and to create more jobs.

The service will be delivered via a partnership between Lancashire County Council, community and business partners, UCLan, Lancaster University, Regenerate Pennine Lancashire and Winning Pitch, with £3.6million of funding provided by the European Regional Development Fund.

For more details, visit regeneratepl.co.uk/regenerate-services/lancashire-growth-hub/