UP TO 20 jobs could be created as a haulage firm looks to build on a recent move to new premises.

Macgregor Europe, which has bases in Gisburn Road, Barrowford, and at the old Time Technology Park, Altham, has set up a new warehousing unit at Lomeshaye Industrial Estate, Nelson.

Fraser Durris, the company's sales and marketing manager, said the new unit would be a replacement for the existing Barrowford site and would give it a more central location.

And he revealed that, despite growing concerns over the cost of fuel, the future looked bright for Macgregor Europe.

Mr Durris said: "The move to the new site has been part of an expansion to create 20 jobs this year for drivers and warehouse staff.

"We have been looking for new premises for some time in the area and this was in an excellent place for us.

"We are in to distribution for retail and manufacturing and we have around 40 people employed in the area at the moment."

And he claims that the rising fuel bill is forcing the company to innovate further.

He added: "The price of diesel is having a massive effect, but what we are doing is working closely with our customers and looking how to improve efficiency of their operations at the same time. The whole supply chain is looking at ways to improve.

"You can not operate in an A to B service and not expect prices to keep going up."

The firm has traditionally been based at Holmefield Mill, Barrowford, and around a year ago it invested in new software to track its wagons while they were on the road.

The new cabs featured the latest technology, including digital tacographs and marked a £1million investment programme by the company.

Mr Durris said that eventually there could be a shift to running the entire operation from Lomeshaye, but that would be dependent on continuing success.

The logistics and warehousing company was formed in the early 1990s by Peter Macgregor.