Exports double is a science fact for LTE

MANUFACTURING is alive and well in Greenfield where LTE Scientific is enjoying booming sales.

The maker of sterilisers and laboratory equipment has doubled exports, mainly thanks to deals in Russia, and is on target for a 20 per cent increase in turnover.

In addition, the Greenbridge Lane company, which employs 22 staff on the shop floor and a further 12 specialist engineers out of a total workforce of 55, has secured a £200,000 order from a new customer in Weybridge, Surrey, for a stability room.

Managing director John Lees is expecting to expand the business, which was established in 1947, even further when a range of new products is unveiled within the next six to 12 months.

He said: “Profit margins are up in what is undoubtedly a tough trading environment but we have strengthened our technical team and adopted lean manufacturing techniques which have made us more efficient, always delivering products on budget and on time.” He credits much of this improvement to new director Bob Barrett (48), from Stalybridge.

In his second spell with the business, Mr Barrett has been promoted to board level as operations director after five years as production manager. He has a total of 20 years’ experience with LTE Scientific and is looking forward to the next few years as the business moves into new markets with new products.

Helping this development process are new recruits Tracey Gray, from Leeds, who has joined as a software engineer and Malcolm Dillon, from Royton, a mechanical design engineer.

The new products currently in development are in the medical and endoscopy fields and a new range of sterile storage units to complement the suite of environmental rooms, incubators, freeze driers and thermal products which have been the mainstay of this successful business for most of its 61 years.