CONSTRUCTION work has started on new premises for an expanding Furness company.

Accurite Industries needs extra space to help keep pace with growing demand for its products.

The firm currently employs five staff and expects to double the size of its workforce once it moves to new premises at the Low Mill business park in Ulverston.

Formed in Coniston 13 years ago, Acurite Industries started out distributing diamond cutting tools.

In 1996, the firm acquired a 10,000 sq ft building in Dalton from where it ran a distribution operation and started reconditioning stone-cutting machinery.

Turnover doubled to £1 million during the five years up to 2000 and today Accurite is the UK's largest reconditioned equipment supply firm to the stone-cutting industry in this country.

Reconditioning of stone-cutting equipment now accounts for around 45 per cent of the business, and much of the equipment is highly sophisticated, involving computer controlled settings.

The new Ulverston base, which will take about six months to complete, will create a showroom and distribution centre as well as a refurbishment centre and manufacturing facility.

It will also house a research and development centre, including adapting marble-cutting equipment originating in Italy for use in cutting sandstone and gritstone.

Accurite is aiming to develop new technology which improves stone-cutting speed, accuracy and finish while reducing costs for large quarries and factories.

The firm has secured a DTI Smart grant to help develop the project and also received an enterprise grant from the North West Development Agency to help fund the new factory and improve operational efficiency.

Furness Enterprise helped the firm to gain the grant aid, which made the project possible.

Development agency spokesman Stuart Klosinski said: " It's the largest development so far on the Low Mill site at 14,000 sq ft and also the first manufacturing development.

It represents a significant expansion by a local entrepreneur-owned company."

Preston-based Huck Construction is building the development, which is its first in the Furness region.

The Low Mills business park, which was reclaimed by South Lakeland District Council at a cost of £1 million, is now fully committed.

SLDC hopes to expand the site by acquiring a further six hectares in 2003-4.