FORT Vale Engineering is the undisputed world leader in safety systems for the road tankers and containers that transport everything from hazardous liquids to foodstuffs.

And managing director Ian Wilson is determined that the Nelson firm will hang on to its market share which now accounts for a staggering 80 per cent of global sales.

A new manufacturing site is due to open in Shanghai early next year and an expanded US distribution centre has opened at the Port of Houston, Texas, to add to its network of international offices in Rotterdam, Moscow and Capetown.

A multi-million-pound move to the site of the former Phillips TV site at Simonstone is also on the planning board in what will be the biggest development in the company's history.

Yet despite the frantic activity and upheaval, Ian Wilson is adamant that the future of the business lies in East Lancashire where it was set up by chairman Ted Fort in 1968.

"When you are the market leader, you are always vulnerable to attack from competitors," he said.

"You have to ensure that you are the best at everything you do to stay ahead of the game."

At Fort Vale, this means continuous investment in research and development, sitting on international safety boards, building global distribution networks and improving manufacturing efficiency.

In Nelson, the company operates from two former textile mills that straddle Brunswick Street in a residential part of town. It is an environment that Ian admits is less than ideal - hence the move to Simonstone.

"We are under threat all the time and we need to become more efficient," he said.

"We were unable to find a site in Nelson that met our needs, so we had to look further afield. The old Phillips factory is ideal and after we refurbish the building, we expect to move there some time in 2006."

The expanion into China will be a much lower-key affair.

Ian added:" We are exporting a container load to China every week and our sales are increasing all the time.

"It makes sense to have some manufacturing there so we have taken a lease on a small factory in Shanghai which will start production in the first quarter of next year. I know it's a cause of concern for our employees here, but I never see the Chinese operation being that big, employing up to 20 people.

"We will do the minimum we have to do to retain our market share."

Fort Vale has built its reputation on the design and production of key parts for containers and tank trucks. Working exclusively in stainless steel, it manufactures the valves, vents, manways and seals that maintain the safety of often hazardous loads as they are transported across the globe.

The company was originally set up in Colne, but moved to its present site in 1978. At that time, it employed around 35 people and has since grown steadily as international markets have grown to take its workforce to 265.

Two-thirds of production is geared towards valves and safety features for use on the large cylindrical containers that have replaced metal drums for the transportation of hazardous gases and chemicals.

"We spotted the potential right from the start and have been market leaders ever since," said Ian. "Last year, we exported 75 per cent of everything we made and this year the figure is nearing 80 per cent."

Strong after-sales support is a key to the Fort Vale operation. With more than 250,000 containers worldwide fitted with the company's products, there is a constant demand for spare and replacement parts.

With five international distribution cetres in America, Holland, China, Russia and South Africa, Ian believes the company's quality of service support gives it the edge. It also makes parts for the road tankers you see carrying anything from petrol to grain and still does work for the oil and gas exploration industries it has been dealing with since the 1960s.

Fort Vale has also built up a string of subsidiary businesses in the North West which include Troy Innovations in Rawtenstall, making consumer products such as TV brackets and CVD racks for big retail chains like Walmart and Next; Rigg Autopac in Neson which manufactures production lines for the food industry; and Sparta Meta in Rawtenstall which provides specialist cutting services.

The Fort Vale group of companies employs more than 460 people.

Ian, however, does not expect that figure to grow too much, explaining: "We are very much a family business. Our people are high on our agenda and we have a responsibility to the people who work for us to provide them with secure employment."