BURY-based Senior Hargreaves has invested £395,000 in consolidating its long-established presence in the town.

The UK's largest and most innovative ductwork manufacturer and installation specialists have just completed a 32,000 sq ft factory extension as its Lord Street headquarters.

Senior Hargreaves say the new factory is part of a rolling programme of investment by the company to underpin their market leading position. Works director Kevin McElroy said: "The new factory reflects our confidence in the town and is an essential element in upgrading facilities to ensure the business can meet growing demand.

"The new factory brings the total under cover area of the Bury site up to 250,000 sq ft."

He added: "With the adjoining bays, it creates an unbroken, adaptable modern workspace of 80,000 sq ft.

"The project has been managed in-house and has taken just 12 months since the first site works in August last year."

Senior Hargreaves, which was founded in Bury in the late 1800s, is part of Senior Plc. For many years, it traded as Henry Hargreaves.

Currently, 400 people are employed by the company both at the Lord Street site, at regional showrooms and on contracts throughout the UK.

Throughout the years, the business has emerged as a UK market leader in ductwork and has carried out work at some of Britain's most familiar landmarks.

In recent times, the factory has produced specialist ductwork and air handling equipment for projects as diverse as the Millennium Dome, Land Rover paint shop, Manchester Arena and Portcullis House in Westminster.