Sky’s the limit for family firm

A family-run North East manufacturing business is set for significant expansion following a move to new premises.
Wearside-based Wessington Cryogenics today (March 26) officially opens its new factory which represents a substantial £300,000 investment. The move will enable considerable growth as the company looks to branch out into new markets and create a wider range of products.

The company, which manufactures specialist gas storage tanks, is marking its move to the new 70,000 ft factory on Houghton’s Rainton Bridge business park with a celebratory event featuring famous mountaineer, Alan Hinkes.

Director Gill Southern, her father Eddie Rowe and brother Paul Rowe have guided the 26 year old business carefully through the recession with a steady £10 million turnover. The move to the new modern manufacturing facility opens up the opportunity to create a semi clean room environment for future product research and development.

Wessington Cryogenics exports more than 80 percent of its products worldwide and customers include the Ministry of Defence, NASA and the European Organisation for Nuclear Research - CERN.

Mountaineer and Sunderland city ambassador Alan Hinkes will officially open the building at Rainton Bridge South Industrial Estate before Wessington Cryogenics’ official flag will be raised alongside the Union Jack.
Gill said: “The move to the new premises has already opened up more opportunities for us to take on new work and expand the portfolio of products that we make. We are already looking at producing more vessels for the South American market which is a new area for us.

“Our new factory is more than double the size of our old premises in Philadelphia in Houghton so we are able to build larger vessels. We have also had an opportunity to review all areas of manufacturing to optimise floor space and process layout so we will be able to turnaround more products in a shorter timeframe.”
Wessington Cryogenics, which employs almost 100 staff, produces multi-coded cryogenic pressure vessels for the storage and transport of oxygen, nitrogen, argon and helium. The company also offers a repair and refurbishment service enabling them to return vessels to an ‘as new’ condition.

Cryogenics is used in a vast range of diverse applications such as bio-medical and physical research, M.R.I scanning, defence, steel making, extraction of oil, food freezing, cryotherapy, cryosurgery and many others. There are only a handful of businesses across the globe that produce cryogenic storage vessels.

Sunderland City Council helped the company to identify new premises and supported them in the relocation. Dave Smith, chief executive at Sunderland City Council, said: “Wessington Cryogenics is a highly successful company with a fantastic story behind it.
“Eddie started the business in Washington over 26 years ago after realising a gap in the market and, along with Gill and Paul, has been able to tap into the city’s highly skilled manufacturing workforce to grow and develop. They now export to hundreds of countries and every time zone around the world. We wish them every success for the future.”
The company has benefited from the support of UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), including most recently the Gateway to Global Growth programme. UKTI has helped the company focus on research and develop their business as new oil fields come on stream in Venezuela, Brazil and Uruguay.

Brian Shaw, managing director of UKTI’s Business Group, helped celebrate the opening of the company’s new premises.
He said: “I’m delighted to be here to help celebrate this important milestone for Wessington Cryogenics, which is a great example of how a North East company can take on the best in the world and win.
“The company now employs almost 100 people and has a turnover in excess of £10 million a year and by continually seeking new markets the company continues to grow – we’re delighted to be a part of that success.”