Thriving firm buys up land for expansion (From Oxford Mail)

Thriving firm buys up land for expansion

1:00pm Thursday 20th September 2012 in Witney

A THRIVING firm which is already a major employer is on the expansion trail again.

Medical device manufacturer Owen Mumford, which has plants in Woodstock and Chipping Norton, has drawn up plans for another building at De Haviland Way on the Windrush Industrial Park, Witney.

Managing director Jarl Severn, pictured, said: “We bought the land in Witney a couple of years ago to cope with expansion. Now we are putting in for permission to build there.

“We don’t even know yet exactly what we will have there. We may need a new headquarters, extra offices, or space for research and development. But I want to be in a position to jump the moment I physically need more space. If huge contracts come our way, we need to be able to act quickly.”

The company, which last year turned over £70m, has seen its staff grow from 658 to 725 in the last six months.

As well as its plans for Witney, the family business recently pumped £4m investment into its new 23,000 sq ft factory in Chipping Norton, and another £3m into its manufacturing facility in Woodstock.

The company was founded in Woodstock in 1952 by Ivan Owen and John Mumford as a plastic moulding firm. The two founders still take a hands-on interest and Mr Mumford’s son, Mark, is chairman.

But the success has come since the decision was taken in 1999 to focus on medical devices such as auto-injectors for people suffering from diabetes and other conditions requiring regular medication.

Now Owen Mumford is advertising for new recruits as growth continues.

Picture: OX54320 Ric Mellis