A FILTRATION firm has undergone a £350,000 expansion.

Oberlin Filter makes automatic pressure filtration units for a number of sectors, with its machines supporting the production of industrial gas turbine blades as well as gears, valves and crankshafts in vehicles.

However, its success saw it outgrow its previous base on Newton Aycliffe Business Park, and the company has now moved to an 11,000sq ft site on the same estate.

Bosses have also spent £40,000 on a ten-tonne crane, and say the switch will allow the firm to maintain its seven-strong workforce and build on turnover of £1.8m.

Mike Johnson, sales engineer, said: “We design and make automatic pressure filtration units for any kind of liquids that need solids removing.

“Our systems clean the liquid while the solids are discharged and dried automatically - and we bring every part of this very technical and scientific system together right here in Aycliffe.”

As well as filtration systems, Oberlin’s team boasts other skills, such as electrical panel building, welding and fabrication.

Mr Johnson added: “There are many others manufacturing filtration units, but our technology and experience allows us to penetrate dynamic and evolving precision-based markets.

“We’ve established several new clients in the aerospace and medical sectors and hit £1.8m turnover a couple of years ago.

“Now we have the space to continue growing again.

“We're making on average 12 filtration systems a year and working on our 100th build here in Aycliffe, which is a fantastic milestone.”

Oberlin is owned by a family-run business, based in Wisconsin, in the US, and it has a sister production site in Germany.

Its UK operation started in 1998 to tap into UK and Ireland markets, as well as the Netherlands, Belgium and France.