Market Drayton sawmill celebrates start of £4.5m plan
Work has started on a £4.5 million sawmill plant in Shropshire.
Staffordshire-based Hales Sawmills is building new premises in Market Drayton to cope with growing demand.
The new premises in Adderley Road Industrial Park will include treatment plants, a biomass boiler, timber drying kiln, manufacturing facilities and a large shop.
Developers were the target of criticism to begin with after local residents voiced concerns over noise and pollution. But bosses have promised to install an acoustic fence to shield boaters on the canal from any potential noise.
Julian Parton, director of Hales Sawmills, said: "We're very happy to finally get started. Hopefully it will be a really good thing for the town."
The company hopes work will be completed by December 19 and aims to increase its work force by 13 people in January.
Mr Parton said: "After that we want to expand more if we can and continue to grow, but that's how many we hope to take on initially."
The family-run business, now into its third generation, has a workforce of 36 employees, and has been running since 1982.
Mr Parton said: "We just got to the point where we had out grown the site and there were bits and pieces everywhere. So this is a purpose-built site and will be much better for expanding."
Mark Pembleton, business and enterprise manager for Shropshire Council, said: "We are overjoyed to see it all come together. We helped the company from day one, assessing sites and different options and gave support with the application. Employment and enterprise is a top priority for the town."
