300 new jobs for county

More than 300 jobs are being created by a Shropshire company which manufactures ready-made rooms for building projects, it was revealed today, writes Business Editor Amy Bould.

Elements Europe is increasing the size of its Oswestry plant in the next 12 months, doubling its 100-strong staff.

And bosses of the pre-fab construction company are planning to build a multi-million pound flagship factory by 2010, creating a further 200 jobs.

• See also: BT axing 10,000 jobs

Many of the posts will be for skilled tradesmen, including plumbers, electricians and plasterers but the company says it will also be looking to provide training for new workers.

Chief executive officer Darren Richards said Elements Europe, which was set up three years ago, had more work than its 40,000 sq ft base at the Mile Oak Industrial Estate could cope with.

The firm creates pre-fabricated steel-frame rooms, called pods, off-site allowing a 60-bedroom hotel to be constructed in five days.

Mr Richard said: “As an interim measure, we have bought another plant, of the same size, which will double the size of the company over the next 12 months.

“Our big plan for the future is we plan to build 180,000 sq ft manufacturing unit, ready for occupation in mid-2010 and we are looking at various sites of around 20 acres.

“We are hoping this site will be as near to Oswestry as we can make it, we want to keep the people we have.”

Mr Richards said Elements Europe’s core markets of the hotel, care home and student accommodation sectors, appeared to be recession-proof.

“We have been reasonably fortunate in that in choosing those markets a couple of years ago, we have been able to stay out of the residential sector and it’s that part of the industry which has significant pressures at the moment.

“Those people coming out of house building like plasterers, plumbers, and electricians, are the people we are looking for. We will be creating 100 jobs in the next 12 months, and another 200 by 2010, making a total of around 420.”