The first sod for a new storage facility, offices, welfare facilities and improvements for Blandford Forum-based Hospital Metalcraft Ltd, was cut by North Dorset MP Robert Walter.

He was accompanied by the Blandford Mayor, Councillor Esme Butler, in a ceremony arranged by contractor Midas Construction.

Hospital Metalcraft is one of the largest privately owned employers in Blandford Forum where the business designs, manufactures and supplies its extensive ‘Bristol Maid’ range of medical furniture and equipment for the public and private sector.

The £2.5 million design and build contract entails enlarging the existing facilities at the Blandford Heights Industrial Estate including infrastructure works and the potential for further storage and manufacturing facilities.

Stuart Davis, Managing Director of Hospital Metalcraft said: “We have grown into a company employing 200 staff occupying a 6,500m2 site, a major supplier to the healthcare sector including the National Health Service, private healthcare providers and pharmacies along with a growing network of distributors throughout the UK and Ireland. In addition we are also exporting to numerous countries around the world.

“Investment in this facility allows the relocation of several processes that are currently carried out off-site, demonstrates our ambitions to grow, along with confirming our commitment to our employees, to Blandford Forum and the community in which we work.”

Midas Construction divisional director, Paul Strachan, said: “We are delighted to win this contract especially as we will be working with the same team of consultants as those engaged on the recently completed £11million redevelopment programme at Wimborne for Cobham Plc, one of the country's biggest defence related businesses.”