June 21, 2019 3.08 pm This story is over 63 months old

Engineering firm starts work on new £3.6m factory

It is expected to create 26 new jobs
Charles Tong (left) and his son Edward, MD of Tong Engineering, plant a spade in the ground to mark the start of work on the new factory in Spilsby.

A Lincolnshire agricultural machinery manufacturer has started building a new factory in Spilsby, which is expected to create 26 new jobs.

A £500,000 grant from the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership has helped Tong Engineering to begin work on the new building.

Work started on site in early June. The £3.6 million first phase of the two-phase project is expected to be completed by Spring 2020.

The long-established family business currently has sites in Spilsby and Wainfleet and employs 153 people. When the new production facility is complete the company will consolidate all its activities on one seven-acre site in the town.

Tong Engineering is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of quality vegetable grading and handling equipment. The new development will ensure that Tong Engineering can meet its growth aspirations and allow it to increase its production capacity.

The £3.6 million first phase of the two-phase project is expected to be completed by Spring 2020.

Managing Director of Tong Engineering, Edward Tong, said: “Our history is very deep-rooted in the market town of Spilsby. Over the years we have increasingly outgrown our current premises, leaving us no option but to open a second factory 10 miles away in Wainfleet in order to expand.

“Operating over two sites brings many logistical challenges and we have been researching the viability of one new purpose-built factory for many years. As a Spilsby-born company it has always been an overriding consideration to remain in or close to the town, supporting our local communities and businesses while minimising inconvenience to our employees.

“With the support of the Greater Lincolnshire Growth Fund and East Lindsey District Council we are very pleased that we can finally break ground on a new factory. The project will help us to maintain the most advanced engineering practices, increase local employment opportunities and achieve our business growth ambitions.”

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