Opening of 50,000 manufacturing facility in Newport

Jarrow-based engineering specialist, UTS Group, has opened a 50,000 sq ft facility in Newport, Wales, to meet increasing demand from its clients in the utility, industrial and commercial markets

The company, which was established in 2001 by managing director, Shaun Sadler, has invested £750,000 in the plant, which will offer manufacturing, stock warehousing and service capability.

UTS produces a vast range of couplings, flange adapters and repair clamps for customers in the UK and export markets. Its unique selling point is having the capability to provide almost any product for the piping industry, to incorporate tailor-made solutions and to fabricate its products to suit any size of diameter and oval pipes, if required.

The company has two existing sites in Jarrow, a 100,000 sq ft manufacturing plant on the Bede Industrial Estate and a 30,000 sq ft service facility based at the Viking Industrial Estate which, at any one time, holds £5 million in stock.

The company employs just over 100 in Jarrow and it is anticipated the Wales facility will employ 20 staff, initially. Its customers include all the UK water and gas companies, along with many overseas clients.

In addition to its manufacturing capability, which includes welding, fabricating, machining, powder coating and wet spray finishing, the company guarantees a 24 hour, 365 days a year, emergency service anywhere in the UK.

Managing director, Shaun Sadler, said: “While we have vast resource at our Jarrow facilities, we needed to be much closer to our customers based in Wales and the south of England. We have received great encouragement and support from our customer, Welsh Water and other agencies in Wales, to create a permanent foothold in the country and we are delighted to now be based in Newport.

“There are many interesting similarities between Newport and Jarrow, in that they both have a strong industrial heritage and the people have a similar can-do culture that you get from close-knit, working class communities.

“The plant is located very close to the M4 motorway which means we have good access to Wales and the south of England. This is critically important as the water companies are under immense regulatory pressure and when maintenance work is needed or there are unexpected burst pipes, they need to react immediately. Our Newport facility will ensure we are in a position to provide solutions for our customers within 24 hours, including bespoke pipe fittings and repair and complete fabrications.”