A BISHOP Auckland company is celebrating 50 years – a milestone that shows its commitment to manufacturing in the North-East.

Stephenson Gobin, which employs 65 people, has continued to expand its workforce in County Durham since 1972.

Acquired by the British Engines Group in 2000, Stephenson Gobin manufactures electromagnetic products for its two product brands Geofire and SG Transmission.

Originally established as an electrical brake and clutch manufacturer near Bishop Auckland, the company has grown significantly into a leading specialist electromagnetic clutch and brake manufacturer and its products are exported globally.

Keith Thompson, Stephenson Gobin’s longest-serving employee since 1983, said: “The business has changed massively since I started 39 years ago. We were originally a team of ten with two central lathes and only one CNC lath machine! I love being part of a larger team that achieves and exceeds.

“We receive new enquiries from global equipment manufacturers every day. From humble beginnings, I have seen the company continually improve standards of manufacturing to supply some of the world’s leading automation projects.”

In 2013, the company moved to a purpose-built manufacturing facility on South Church Enterprise Park in Bishop Auckland to meet the existing and future capacity demands of the business and ensure the capability for small or large volume orders.

Andy Collinson, chief executive officer at Stephenson Gobin, said: “It’s the people, our processes and the continuous innovation that make this company, and we are delighted to be marking half a century of engineering expertise in County Durham.

“We have a wealth of experience and product knowledge coupled with investments in our in-house manufacturing facility and workforce to execute our progression. I am confident that, with the support of our management team and the British Engines Group, we will continue to flourish.”

Stephenson Gobin is part of the British Engines Group celebrating 100 Years this year. The 100 jobs for 100 years campaign offers a £750 sign-on bonus to employees who join the company over the coming months; an initiative which the group hopes will attract new talent to engineering within the region.