A company which specialises in metal detectors for industry has moved into new premises after attracting major growth.

Fortress Technology Europe has more than trebled its workforce to 20 and uprooted from the Banbury Business Park to a 10,500sq ft state-of-the-art facility on Beaumont Road.

And it has invested £2m in manufacturing high performance Phantom metal detectors from the site to service its customers across the UK and Europe in the food and pharmaceutical sectors in addition to an existing facility in Canada.

Managing director Sarah Ketchin said: “The decision was made on commercial grounds after careful consideration of the needs of the UK business, and as a direct result of the increasing market demand for the Fortress range of metal detection systems, most particularly within the territories supported by the European office.

“Since the move to bigger premises last year we have focused on getting ready for production with further investment in equipment, training and highly skilled personnel.”

She added: “The new production facility is an important milestone for the ongoing development of Fortress Technology which, up to now, has solely concentrated on manufacture at its headquarters in Canada, and from a production unit in Brazil.

“We have already shipped a number of metal detectors from the UK and look forward to further expansion, both in the domestic market and overseas.”

“The hope is that our customers will benefit from increased flexibility, reduced lead times and extra production capacity, as well as a strengthened ability to cater for European requirements and standards.”

Fortress Technology was set up in 1999 and its detectors are used to identify metal contamination in food and drug manufacturing.

The Banbury plant will now manufacture up to 300 detectors a year, ranging in price between £1,500 and £10,000.