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THETFORD FIRM'S BIGGEST EVER INVESTMENT

Warren Services took delivery of a £560,000 laser and brake press, its biggest capital investment

An East Anglian engineering firm has set its sights on growth in 2010 after taking delivery of its biggest capital investment to date.

Warren Services in Thetford yesterday took delivery of a £560,000 laser and brake press, a high speed and high accuracy metal cutting tool.

The new machine was described by Warren chairman Richard Bridgman as "the final piece of the jigsaw" - allowing the firm to manufacture complete assemblies at its Fison Way headquarters for the first time.

The delivery came as Mr Bridgman revealed that Warren had increased its turnover from £3m in 2008 to £3.7m this year.

He added that the firm - an engineering sub-contractor, whose speciality has been to build complex stage machinery for theatres and venues across the world - was also planning to increase its 50-strong workforce by a further 10 people.

"This is Warren's largest individual capital investment to date," Mr Bridgman said.

"Since moving to Thetford five years ago we have already invested more than £1m in capital equipment.

"We've had to find additional premises nearby of 8,000 sq ft to accommodate our assembly operations to make way for the new laser and brake press."

He added: "This is the final piece of the jigsaw. Everything else we were able to produce in-house, this was the final part we had to buy in and it means we can now build complete assemblies."

Warren moved from premises at Feltwell to a £1m refurbished factory unit at Fison Way in 2005.

The firm's engineering work has featured at the Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Opera House and the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas for a production by the Cirque du Soleil.