Truss manufacturer Donaldson Timber Engineering (DTE) has made a positive start to the year with the opening of a new branch in the north west of England.

Following a £300,000 investment, the new branch in Warrington, Cheshire will service the surrounding areas as far as Cumbria, West Yorkshire, Staffordshire and Shropshire, and also into North Wales.

DTE has recruited a team of seven for the branch, including Andy Kennedy, who takes up the role of general manager following two years as roof design technician at DTE Ilkeston. Brand new machinery has also been installed, including MiTek gantry presses and a Randek saw.

The new site, which will focus solely on the manufacture and supply of roof trusses, was officially opened on Tuesday 20 January by James Donaldson & Sons Chairman, Neil Donaldson, and DTE managing director Jonathan Fellingham. The first order is being delivered this week.

Mr Fellingham said: “2014 was our busiest year to date, so we are investing in new capabilities to better meet our customers’ needs. The Warrington location is the perfect fit for us, allowing us to provide a much more comprehensive service to our customers in the north of England and also to venture into North Wales. Expanding the business has long been one of our aims, and we’re thrilled to have a presence in the west.

“We’ve got a fantastic team lined up, and it should be a very efficient, cost-effective operation. We’re forecasting turnover to be over £1m on a single shift in Year One, and we’re very much looking forward to seeing what the year ahead brings.”

The opening of the new factory takes the total number of DTE branches throughout the UK to eight.