A major recruitment drive is underway at Rotherham-based MTL Advanced, following a multi-million-pound order from a rail sector OEM for complex safety critical aluminium fabrications.
Over 30 new welding/fabrication, CNC machining, press-braking and painting jobs are being created following a 100% increase in staff numbers over the past 24 months.
The contract will run for several years and the aluminium parts will ultimately be used as part of the major UK Crossrail project, bringing a new railway line to central London.
The fabrications will form part of the main structure of the train and are being manufactured at MTL’s 13-hectare facility in South Yorkshire, fully compliant to the company’s recent BS EN 15085 Class 2 and BS EN 3834 Class 2 rail welding accreditations.
Karl Stewart, Commercial Director at MTL Advanced, said: “We won this contract based on our manufacturing capabilities and our commitment to quality and delivery.
“The business is expanding, and we have increased staff numbers from 130 to over 250 since 2015, which is expected to reach 300 by 2018. This is an exciting time for us, the UK’s manufacturing industry and the surrounding area as we continue to boost local job creation.”
The growth at MTL is supported by a number of long term contract wins in prolific industries such as defence, recycling and construction. The company has also recently taken on 8 engineering apprentices and is looking to increase this to 20, as part of a five-year program which is designed to provide individuals in the area with the skills and qualifications required to carve out a successful career in engineering.
Karl added: “We have identified key areas as part of our ambitious growth strategy, and rail is a sector where we can make great progress as we are ideally located in Yorkshire’s booming manufacturing hub.”
As a one-stop-shop, MTL has extensive and large-scale capabilities with on-site access to all of the latest fabrication, laser and machining technology. This rail project involves using a range of processes including laser cutting, bending, machining and welding/fabrication which are subject to the most stringent quality requirements from the client.
A dedicated 240 sq. m. clean area will be used for the welding of the aluminium structures, and a new surface treatment facility has been developed specifically for shot peening aluminium.
The company also provide a Design for Manufacture (DFM) service to improve initial designs to make for more streamlined manufacturing, which can significantly lower the cost and manufacturing time by eliminating unnecessary processes.