A Lowestoft company is looking forward to a bright future after opening a new £130,000 office building.

AFS Ltd has invested in the new block at its Commercial Road site to give its office staff a better working environment and help showcase the specialist fabrication and manufacturing services it can offer to potential costumers in the oil and gas, renewable energy and maritime industries.

The company’s nine office staff had previously been based in two mobile buildings, which had become outdated and cramped as it expanded its portfolio.

AFS was formed 15 years by Carl Honeywood, and from humble beginnings as a business employing one person and based at his father’s farm, it now has 30 staff and has also taken on two apprentices.

Mr Honeywood, 39, is a trained welder from Lowestoft who runs AFS with his wife Hayley.

He said: “It is nice to be able to offer a nice professional office space for our staff and how we will keep investing in the company. It also offers a more impressive place for our customers to come to.

“This area is going to be a catalyst for the renewable energy sector and this office will give us a higher profile.”

The company moved to its one-acre site in 2009 from its previous base in Riverside Road, Lowestoft. The site also includes a workshop with a overhead crane and separate carbon and exotic steel production units.

In 2004, AFS won a contract to carry out maintenance works on the Scroby Sands wind farm, off Great Yarmouth. It has continued to grow in size and now has an annual turnover of £2m, having secured contracts with Shell, SLP, Perenco and Boston Putford among others.

In the next phase of its expansion, the company it is purchasing the neighbouring Motofacts site to give it more room for growth in the future.

Among the guests at the official opening of the new office block on Wednesday was Waveney MP Peter Aldous.

He said: “It is very good news that this company has made such an investment right here in the heart of Lowestoft’s docks.

“By having a high quality workshop and this attractive office space it shows AFS is fully committed to its staff and customers.”