Gritter manufacturer, Econ, is to expand its North Yorkshire operation further with the development of a new £7m engineering facility near Thirsk.

The family-owned business, which makes more than 85 percent of the UK’s winter road maintenance vehicles, has purchased a 24-acre site at Sowerby, 11-miles from its Ripon headquarters.

When completed, this new North Yorkshire facility – which will be landscaped to minimise any impact on the environment – will house a 2,933 sq m building featuring an area office, workshop, spray booth, brake test unit, underseal spray area, 20-bay maintenance compound, and 18 inspection pits.

Being developed by Yorkshire-based Triton Construction, it will also include hard parking for the firm’s winter hire fleet. When the site is handed to Econ in Spring 2022, the company has said up to 50 jobs will be created.

Jonathan Lupton, Econ Engineering’s Operations Director said: “Econ Thirsk marks another major milestone in our 52-year history and one that demonstrates the strength of the company and dominance of the winter roads maintenance vehicles sector.

“Over the last few years our winter hire fleet has grown exponentially, and these gritters, which are leased to councils and highways authorities across the UK, will be housed at the new site.

“Here, during the summer months, they will be serviced and readied for to return to clients in the autumn, ahead of winter setting in.

“Because the location of this new site is rural, we are ensuring that its impact on the surrounding area is mitigated by careful landscaping. Solar panels on the roof will also reduce our carbon footprint and running costs.”

In 2019, Econ opened its first satellite engineering hub in Alloa, Scotland, and last year it added a further facility in the Welsh capital of Cardiff.