Major Manufacturing Expansion at Blaney Group
December 6, 2020
Major manufacturing expansion in Ballymena at Blaney Group
Blaney Group, based in Ahoghill Co Antrim are pleased to have completed the first phase of their new purpose built manufacturing facility which will help future-proof the business and expand the capacity Blaney requires to meet customer demand across all of its engineering divisions.
The new facility houses Blaney’s precision engineering company Blaney Gears and gives significant space for assembly of the Blaney Agri tractor machinery and Quad-X ATV equipment. This new site also allows for extra yard space and some warehousing and spare parts storage. Blaney Gears who are specialists in precision engineering, gear manufacturing, component production and industrial gearbox refurbishment are involved in a diverse range of engineering projects and this new building permits ample space for their wide range of machining technology. This expansion further cements the valuable and unique synergy Blaney draws from each of its engineering divisions including Blaney Agri, Quad-X, Blaney Gears, Blaney Fabrication and Blaney Motor.
This new facility has allowed for the enhancement of Blaney’s existing manufacturing plant which is situated just 100m away, to focus on metal fabrication giving greater capacity for welding, laser cutting, folding, bending and CNC machining.
Blaney’s drive and ambition to be a world class player stems from the owner, Sean Blaney’s passion for engineering excellence and determination, to show the world what the people of Northern Ireland can do. Sean says,
“We are excited to be looking forward to continuing to innovate, develop and to build world class products. We have invested in a wide range of capital expenditure projects over the last few years and are completing the first phase of an exciting business improvement and investment programme.”
William Neill, Production Manager at Blaney Group is delighted with the company’s progress, and comments,
“I’m excited about the new facility and setup which has been a significant boost for our production capacity. The company’s core is driven by innovation which has led to our expanding product range. With hundreds of products across the Blaney Agri and Quad-X range, this gives us the facilities to better meet growing customer demand. In recent weeks we have introduced one of the most advanced robotic welding cells in Ireland to our fabrication plant to help strengthen our ability to meet the increased demand on our capacity requirements.”
With many businesses facing customer downturn and having to consider redundancies, Blaney Group are delighted to be looking towards the future with optimism. Katrina Niblett, HR manager reveals that BLANEY have been working extremely hard over recent months.
“Covid has made us rethink how we operate and reach our customers, and this has resulted in increased sales over the last six months. Our strategy and recent changes to the sales and customer service team who have really put in the effort, have resulted in increasing customers and initiatives that really help our customers, from those with specific needs that require a tailored machine, to those who are cautious or worried about the future and are looking the best priced machine in the market. Our extensive product range covers products for every season and so with a combination of ongoing design and development, fabrication and assembly as well as the move to the new factory, things are always busy. As we continue to grow, we are operating an ongoing recruitment policy and welcome applications at any time, for any role. If you have something special to offer, there are always opportunities to join our team. Whether you’re a student looking for a placement or training opportunity or an experienced professional looking for a permanent role, with our continued growth we can offer many exciting and versatile opportunities, across many disciplines.”
Sean Blaney is pleased that the Blaney Group are a Ballymena manufacturing company bucking the trend.
“The new facility is a fantastic addition and a credit to all our hard-working teams of technicians, craftsmen and customer service. It will future proof our focus in supporting our customers. None of this would have been possible without the commitment of our dedicated team across all divisions. However, it’s our customers investing in our machines that have fuelled our growth. We are lucky to have such a loyal customer base with many of them using a number of our machines. A significant part of our business is from returning customers, and as we have been operating 27 years, a number of these are now second generation customers.
While each new economic situation brings difficulties and many challenges, they always have opportunities. Recognising the opportunities and working with our team and customers and making it happen – that is the exciting part.
Having managed to overcome many business challenges over the last three decades, not least recent disruptions with COVID 19, we are well placed to remain at the forefront of engineering innovation. The next phase of our investment programme will be concluded shortly including some restructuring and further investment in our sites in Ahoghill. The new facilities allow us to invest and further develop a Centre of Excellence in engineering, using the best production techniques to manufacture world class agricultural and ground care machines and solutions for global markets.”
To find out more about any of the Blaney Group divisions visit www.blaney-group.com. You can also follow some on facebook and twitter @blaneyagri @quadxmachinery @blaneygears