Work is about to start on the 11-acre site and is scheduled for completion by Easter.

The works include a major upgrade to its utility plant which involves investment in a replacement building that will house a new packing system, including the firm’s first robotic packer. Russell Roof Tiles is also carrying out a full electrical upgrade and introducing mechanical improvements across key machinery. The benefit this will bring is to increase the capacity of this production line to allow it to meet the growing demands for its products, and also help secure the efficiency of this line for future years. 

This investment follows on from new moulds purchased for the Lochmaben production line back in 2019 and 2020. As well as £70,000 investment in new staff welfare facilities as well an upgrade and modernisation of its aluminium third round ridge manufacturing equipment.

The company, which employs around 150 staff across the Lochmaben site and two in Burton on Trent, was one of the first in its sector to resume manufacturing last year enabling it to meet pend up demand.      

Despite ceasing production when the first national lockdown was announced in March 2020, the business was quickly able to restart production at all of its three sites in May.                                                                                           

This latest investment is part of Russell Roof Tiles’ capital improvement plan to further enhance quality across the business, by utilising the latest innovations in manufacturing.

Andrew Hayward, managing director at Russell Roof Tiles, said: “Over the past five years, we have invested significantly in new plant and equipment at all of our three sites to both increase manufacturing efficiencies and reduce our environmental impact.”