A BRICK company is opening a new facility which will help boost turnover by two thirds and increase production by a quarter.

The York Handmade Brick Company has invested £700,000 in its new special products building at its site in Alne, near Easingwold, North Yorkshire, which will help it make some of its specialist and niche products in greater quantities, as well as diversifying its range.

The move will help make the products suitable for mainstream sale, allowing the company to break into wider commercial markets.

York Handmade has predicted that its turnover will rise from £2.2m to £3.5m next year on the back of the impact of the new facility.

Annual brick production is also expected to rise by one million from its level of 4.5m.

The opening of the eco-friendly building has been hailed as one of the most significant landmarks in York Handmade's 19-year history, with chairman David Armitage heralding it as the start of a new era.

The 16,500sq ft facility is predicted to reach its full production capacity next April.

Mr Armitage said it was an important time for the company, which employs 28 people, as it pressed ahead with its growth plans.

"Now, having built a strong foundation during these 19 years, York Handmade is progressing into an exciting new phase of development," he said.

"The erection of this building, which includes a new kiln, is a crucial part of this.

"The opening of the special products building will herald an exciting new era for the company. A number of fringe products will now become much more mainstream and, as well as that, we hope to develop into new areas, such as the production of brick rubbers for high-quality conservation work, which has not been possible in the past."