A new production area at the 3M manufacturing site at Aycliffe has been officially opened by Sedgefield MP Phil Wilson. The custom-built extension to the Heighington Lane plant is the result of a multi-million pound investment by the diversified technology company to produce 3M Filtrete, a filter medium for a wide range of applications.
The product is used to filter out particles, dust, gas and odours for applications that range from industrial and medical purifiers to air filters in cars and vacuum cleaners. It is also a component in disposable and re-usable respirators made at the site.
It was previously made at a 3M site in the Netherlands, but five production lines have been transferred across the North Sea to the newly built 4,000sq.m production area at Aycliffe.
“The fact that 3M chose Aycliffe as the home of this new production facility is further evidence of the company’s strong belief in the future of this site,” said plant manager Colin MacLeod.
“The plant’s success in gaining this investment is a tribute to the highly skilled workforce we have here in the North East and will be contributing to additional jobs. The product will be exported from here to countries all over the world.”
The opening of the 3M Filtrete production area is the latest investment at the site, which last year opened a new production line to increase substantially its capacity to make cartridge filters for a range of its respirators. These filters had until then been made in the USA.
As well as producing respirators for workers’ safety and the 3M Filtrete material, the site’s 320-strong workforce also makes a range of products for vehicle aftercare market.
Phil Wilson officially opens the new production area at 3M Aycliffe watched by plant manager Colin MacLeod (left) and 3M employees.
