A NEW £300,000 laboratory unveiled by East Lancashire firm Madison Filter Group will help the company be a world leader.

The Haslingden-based designer and manufacturer of speciality filters and conveyors said the new laboratory is the best of its type in the country.

Graeme Souness took time off from managing Blackburn Rovers to officially open the laboratory and learn more about the work of the company, which employs 200 people in this country and 1,200 worldwide.

Madison supplies a wide range of industries from chemicals and mining to oil and gas.

Chief executive, Richard Stephenson, said: "It is sadly increasingly rare to see new investment in business manufacturing, particularly over the last year when so many export orientated companies have been ravaged by the weak Euro.

"This £300,000 investment and a world class laboratory gives Madison Filter the cutting edge it needs to become the undisputed world leader in our field. This investment not only represents faith in East Lancashire manufacturing but also in our technologists who we believe will soon be launching world-beating products developed in this new facility."

The company was created by a £51 million management buy-out of the former Scapa Speciality Materials Division earlier this year.

The deal included the former Scapa Filter Media, Scapa National, Scandiafelt and United Wire operations.

Picture: Graeme Souness cuts the ribbon to officially open the new Madison Filters lab watched by, from the left, Rossendale mayoress Denise Hancock, head of research and development Richard Lydon, chief executive Richard Stephenson and Rossendale mayor Coun David Hancock