FIFTY new jobs are being created in Bromyard by a company moving to the town's Station Industrial Estate.

Leading door specialists, Securidor, has taken the 50,000 square feet premises vacated by Hydro Automotive after its move to Worcester last year.

Securidor, which had sites at Martley and Suckley, currently employs 31 people. It has already shut its Suckley factory and will have closed the Martley operation by March 1, when the move to Bromyard is complete.

The firm says there is a buoyant market requiring more sophisticated and higher specification doors and is confident of doubling its output within six months. The new jobs will be created as the company grows.

Managing director Roger Penson said: "We're delighted to have found this ideal manufacturing facility in Bromyard. It allows us to centralise and streamline production on one site and save all the problems associated with two factories located eight miles apart.

"The new premises is ideally suited to our type of processes, with plenty of room for expansion and tremendous staff facilities including, rest rooms, canteen, first aid area and picnic benches.

"We can now invest in the most up-to-date CNC machines and are already looking for more staff to establish ourselves as a major manufacturer in the door market."

Mayor Joan Dauncey said: "I'm very pleased that this factory hasn't remained closed for a long time. Securidor has come to Bromyard because it's central for their business. People tend to think we're out on limb, but we're not. We're on this nice corridor to the West Midlands.

"The town council is encouraging as many small businesses as it can to come to the town."

The Securidor product range includes 17 different doors designed primarily for housing associations and local authorities. These are made to the most exacting standards with an extensive range of styles, colours and door furniture available.