A COMPANY’S £6million expansion is to bring an employment boost to East Lancashire.

North West Logistics, based on Altham Business Park, is eyeing creating "at least 10 jobs" as it develops its premises.

The company is in transition as it moves to a 100,000 square feet unit it bought in February 2016. Before that it had leased for six years a unit across the road that was five times smaller.

Building work on a new park for its fleet of 50 articulated lorries next to the larger unit is due to be completed in October.

The company transports goods for customers all over the mainland UK and into Europe and also offers warehousing for customers’ products.

Managing director Stephen Dunn said: “Before we had a small lorry park and on a weekend when all the vehicles would return it was like a jigsaw puzzle to get them all parked. Moving will be a big improvement.

“We work on repeat contracts with a number of blue-chip multinationals and have around 10 core customers.

“With the new building, which is five times larger, we will be looking to take on at least 10 new staff over the next two years and will be expanding our customer base in the next year."

Mr Dunn added: “We weathered the recession by keeping our costs down and so we were able to look more long term.

“Our original building was leased but we were in a position to buy. Computer company Exertis was relocating from Altham Business Park to Burnley Bridge and we decided to buy their building in February last year and lease it back to them until their move was complete.

“Exertis have always been very accommodating and flexible towards us, which has been a great help in the transition to our new building.”

North West Logistics has also invested sponsoring Accrington Stanley’s ladies’ team's new away kit.

Martin Fearon, community manager of Accrington Stanley Community Trust, said: “It is fantastic to be involved with a local company like North West Logistics and we really appreciate the support they are giving to the ladies’ team.”