A west Suffolk manufacturing company has increased both its capacity and its efficiency with a six-figure investment in new machinery.

Skylight maker Sunsquare, which is based in Bury St Edmunds and employs nearly 50 people, is a world leader in its field, producing a range of high-specification units including walk-on roof lights and floor lights.

Following a year of rapid sales growth, the company has invested in three new machinery centres, offering a swifter and more cost-effective production process, in addition to a larger £250,000 machine centre installed earlier last year.

In addition, the Kempson Way-based company has opened a new glazing factory, so creating separate areas for the two main production phases of each skylight – one for the constructino of the skylight frames and the upstands which support the frames and one for the preparation and installation of the glass.

The efficiency of the operation means that the company is now able to produce four skylights per hour, with a majority of products being despatched within three weeks.

And the company has also invested further in computer technology, so that it will be able to provide clients with a delivery date upon placing their order.

The dimensions of each bespoke skylight will be then be sent directly to the relevant machining centres ready to be transformed into a finished product.

“In 2015 we are taking our internal processes several steps further,” said Justin Seldis, managing director of Sunsquare. “A bespoke piece of software will allow an unprecedented chain of events to unfold creating the world’s first seamless rooflights order-to-delivery system.”