A Sutton company that is helping to shape some of the country’s most iconic buildings and major infrastructure projects is the latest to benefit from a £6m economic growth fund set up by Nottinghamshire County Council.

BRC is a leading manufacturer of engineered steel products, mainly serving the construction and mining industries. Recent projects the company has supplied materials for include the new ‘Walkie Talkie’ tower in London and the Nottingham Tram Network.

The council has awarded the company £48,000 from its Nottinghamshire Economic Development Capital (NEDCF) towards the cost of new machinery.

The new £110,000 Rebar Double Bending Machine will support the company’s growth plans by helping increase production at the site by around 22%, creating five new jobs and one new apprenticeship opportunity.

BRC, founded in 1908, has production depots in Newport, Newhouse and Romsey, as well as its base in Sutton, which opened in the 1950s and employs around 70 people.

John Collins, managing director of BRC, said: “The new machine has been installed and commissioned and we are already operating at an increased level of production.

“We are extremely grateful to Nottinghamshire County Council for its financial support, which has enabled us to accelerate our growth plans and meet the increase in demand for fabricated steel reinforcement.”

So far, around £2.35m of the NEDCF has been awarded to 19 Nottinghamshire companies, including BRC.

Originally launched in April 2014, NEDCF is open now for businesses to apply for the remaining £3.5m available.

The projects supported have helped create 269 new jobs and 27 apprenticeships, safeguard a further 446 posts and lever in £17.3m in additional investment from banks, other public funds and businesses.

Coun Diana Meale, chairman of the economic development committee at the council, said: “Creating jobs and growth in Nottinghamshire is a priority for the council, so I’m delighted with the progress made through the fund so far and look forward to it supporting more growth and job creation in the near future.

“BRC is a great example of a growth project for which we have been able to provide the final, telling piece of the funding package required.”

Grants of between £20,000 and £250,000 are available to invest in capital projects.
Full details about the fund, criteria and application forms are at www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/capitalfund

Gary Smith is pictured showing Coun Diana Meale the new equipment.