Fabrications firm goes on recruitment blitz

Posted by on 30 Nov 2020

Photo © Jordan Harrison, Scott Lofthouse and Andrew Keyes

A Rochdale metal fabrications company has made a series of key hires after a well known vehicle manufacturer went into administration. There were shockwaves in September when it was announced Altrincham-based The Cartwright Group had gone into administration.

Now Trufab, in Fishwick Street, Rochdale, has recruited three former members of staff at The Cartwright Group, who have nearly 50 years’ experience between them in the coachbuilding industry.
Josh Hickford, general manager of Trufab, said the arrival of Jordan Harrison, Scott Lofthouse and Andrew Keyes represented a fantastic opportunity for the business.

“Jordan, Scott and Andrew bring lots of knowledge about the coachbuilding industry and we can go after a whole new sector of work that we’ve never been able to do before. “The latest additions bring our workforce up to 72 but our target is to get to over 100 staff. We have 68,000 sq ft and it lends itself to this number.”

Trufab, which launched in 1983, specialise in metal fabrication and the company has invested heavily in the latest technology and engineering innovations to become a market-leader in sheet metal fabrication.

Josh Hickford joined the business as an 18-year-old apprentice and at the age of 27 he is now the general manager. He said: “We fabricate anything out of metal. We take the raw sheet of metal and turn it into virtually anything you want. We work across many sectors including aerospace, pharmaceutical, nuclear and food.”

Josh Hickford said Rochdale was the perfect place to base a business. “I wouldn’t move anywhere else,” he said. “The labour pool is ideal.”

Councillor John Blundell, cabinet member for regeneration, business, skills and employment at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “It’s great to see that Trufab have made a number of key hires – with more planned. It is testament to Rochdale that so many great businesses are thriving here”