A HEREFORD engineering company has celebrated its 40th anniversary with its staff along with hundreds of people visiting its new site.

KGD, which is based in Rotherwas, is a global engineering business founded in 1982 by Ken Davies.

Sadly, Ken died in 2020 after a short illness, but KGD has continued to thrive, said a spokesperson, with the firm hiring 22 new apprentices.

The business moved to its current home in 1989 and now employs 120 people working in three significant purpose-built factories designing and manufacturing equipment for a wide range of industries including oil and gas, nuclear, renewables, pharmaceuticals and food and drink.

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Herefordshire key customers Heineken, Special Metals and Lucozade Ribena were represented at their new site in Hursey Road, in Rotherwas, on July 22, alongside some 300 visitors.

The event showcased the new extensive factory facilities including 120 tonne cranes.

Visitors were given a factory tour which included a brief history of the company, illustrations of previously built equipment, and then a tour of equipment currently in various states of build destined for countries all around the world, including China, India, and Switzerland, and the UK.

KGD has shown consistent growth during its history with the backbone based around training and development of employees through apprenticeships and in-house training schemes, said a spokesperson.

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September will see the next group of six apprentices starting their first-year training joining the other 16 apprentices across the four-year programme.

With the new improved facilities KGD is continuing to recruit and train both young and mature people across all disciplines within the business.

KGD's managing director Edward Pitt said: "It was fantastic to have such an impressive turn out to see the new factories we have built and the equipment which we are manufacturing, we are very proud of the work we produce and the training and development that we give to our employees both existing and new.

"Anyone wishing to embark on a new career path should contact us to see what we can offer."