European Regional Development Fund partially backs County Durham lighting firm

A COUNTY Durham lighting business continues to invest in the region and increase its global footprint.

Artech Lighting, based on the outskirts of Durham city, has invested in a Ultimaker S5 Pro 3D printer as it looks to bring the production of many of its lighting components back to the region, creating a number of new jobs in the process.

Additive manufacturing, a term for industrial 3D printing, is the process where a three dimensional CAD model is turned into a physical object. For Artech, this will bring several benefits, the most significant will be to reduce costs and lead times for parts making the company more competitive on the global stage.

Since its launch in 2017, Artech Lighting has made a commitment to support UK manufacturing, producing 100 per cent of its product range at its facility in Durham and securing contracts to supply some of the world’s most high-profile developments including the Dubai World Trade Centre.

The purchase of the 3D printer was supported by matched-grant funding from the ERDF-backed £10.9m Sustainable Advanced Manufacturing (SAM) Project led by the University of Sunderland.

Stuart Hylton, MD, said: “As one of the very few lighting manufacturers left in the UK that produces 100 per cent of its products within our borders, we are incredibly proud to stamp our products with the Made in Britain marque and to fly the flag for UK manufacturing.

He added: “Looking forward, the investment into our new 3D printing system will allow us to bring the production of even more components in-house, creating more highly skilled jobs, further driving down our carbon footprint and massively improving productivity, and we’re excited to see what the future holds.”

The project is a collaboration between the European Regional Development Fund, the University of Sunderland and the Northern Powerhouse Initiative and Industry, supporting the implementation of product and process development and the introduction of technology within the SME manufacturing base in the North East.

Artech Lighting is also making significant investment of its own into a series of factory upgrades, purchasing a second paint plant, press brake, profile roller and punch tool, as well as making substantial upgrades to its IT network.