A GREAT Harwood engineering company has taken its investment in plant and equipment past the £500,000 barrier, in a bid to keep ahead of the competition.

Metflex is one of the world's leading manufacturers of precision rubber components and its latest investment has made its Queen Street factory a safer environment.

The company has spent £40,000 as part of its continuing refurbishment programme to improve health and safety and to reduce waste.

David Hudson, part of the management team at Metflex, said the company had now spent more than half a million pounds on the factory over the past four years.

The latest work has involved the replacement of pipework, hydraulic presses and the re-sealing of press ramps.

"As a result of the work, we have seen a decrease in oil leakaage of more than 80 per cent, that saves on both wastage and downtime," said Mr Hudson.

"Combined with the introduction of new drip trays, the factory is now a cleaner and safer place to work."

Earlier this month, Metflex announced it had won a £1million contract to supply components to the engineering industry. The three-year deal represents a major breakthrough for the business, which has been manufacturing in Great Harwood for the past 60 years.

Metflex invested £100,000 on a new press to increase production of high-tolerance components to help fullfil the new order.

In March, the company spent £70, 000 on a clean room to enable it to provide coloured rubber components for use in top-of-the range hi-fi speakers for B&W.