A SHEET metal manufacturing company in Highbridge plans to expand its premises after having its busiest spell for four years.

Cases Ltd, based on Isleport Business Park, fabricates sheet metal to customers’ drawings which can be used, for instance, in the aircraft, catering, lighting and water industries.

Director Sean Campbell today said the company had enjoyed its busiest period for four years and now wanted to invest in a state-of-the art new laser cutting machine to cope with demand.

The firm has put in a planning application to expand its site to accommodate the new machine as well as a number of extra staff who might want to come and work at the thriving company.

Cases is one of the biggest sheet metal fabricating companies in the area, currently employing around 50 staff and is still looking for a number skilled welders to join the team.

Mr Campbell added: “We are a solid manufacturing business and we have been very busy over the last year, the busiest we’ve been for four years. The industries we supply to are doing well as they are in areas such as LED lighting and micro chipping.

“We supply frameworks and panels for those as well as metal contained in black boxes for aircraft.

“We are hoping to expand our site for the new cutting machine to have everything under one roof.”

Mr Campbell added that it was very difficult to get skilled welders as many younger school leavers were choosing more modern industries such as IT and jobs on computers rather than more old fashioned trades.