Thurston Group has announced a multimillion-pound investment in its Ottringham manufacturing site, with plans to develop a new purpose-built production facility dedicated to its specialist engineered solutions business.
The investment will deliver a 1,250 sq m manufacturing facility, significantly expanding the company’s capacity to produce highly engineered buildings and enclosures for some of the UK’s most technically demanding industrial and infrastructure sectors.
Backed by Thurston Group’s owner, GCH Corporation, the development forms part of a wider programme of investment aimed at strengthening the company’s manufacturing capabilities and supporting growing demand across energy, hydrogen, utilities, data centres, rail and defence.
The new facility is expected to become operational during the first half of 2027 and will increase Thurston’s specialist manufacturing output capability by 158%.
It also represents an important step towards establishing Ottringham as a manufacturing operation capable of supporting more than £40 million in annual output.
New Manufacturing Facility to Support Critical Infrastructure
The purpose-built development will provide a dedicated production base for Thurston’s engineered solutions division, specialising in the manufacture of buildings and enclosures designed for demanding industrial environments.
Products manufactured at the facility will include blast-resistant buildings, toxic refuges, equipment and control housings, battery and electrolyser enclosures, and bespoke containerised solutions.
These specialist structures are used across sectors where operational reliability, safety and protection of critical equipment are essential.
The expansion will enable Thurston to increase production capacity for projects involving hydrogen infrastructure, offshore energy installations, industrial facilities and other technically complex applications.
For the wider construction and engineering industries, the investment reflects increasing demand for specialist prefabricated and engineered building solutions that can be manufactured under controlled factory conditions before installation on site.
Advanced Production and Quality Control Facilities
The new manufacturing building will incorporate dedicated fabrication areas with overhead lifting capabilities, supporting the assembly and movement of large engineered structures.
A specialist shot blast booth will provide surface preparation facilities, while controlled paint finishing areas will support the application of protective coatings.
A dedicated final inspection bay will enable completed products to undergo quality assurance checks before leaving the manufacturing facility.
The investment will also introduce segregated production zones, helping to improve workflow efficiency and maintain safe operating conditions throughout the manufacturing process.
Surface preparation and finishing are particularly important for structures designed to operate in corrosive, offshore and heavy industrial environments, where equipment and building enclosures may be required to perform reliably for decades.
The improved production infrastructure will allow Thurston to manufacture larger volumes of technically demanding products while maintaining the stringent quality standards required by its customers.
Responding to Growing Demand Across Energy and Industrial Markets
Matt Goff, Group Managing Director at Thurston Group, highlighted the importance of the investment in meeting increasing customer demand.
“Customers come to us with their most complex and technically demanding work, structures that have to protect people, house critical equipment, or perform offshore, in a hazardous or regulated location,” he said.
“We solve those challenges through engineering expertise and practical experience, turning difficult requirements into solutions that perform in the real world.”
Goff explained that demand for specialist engineered structures is increasing, particularly across emerging energy technologies and critical infrastructure applications.
“Demand for this work is increasing rapidly, particularly across areas such as hydrogen, offshore energy and equipment housings and this new facility will allow us to undertake more of this work, at a greater scale, along with the stringent quality assurance this type of work demands.”
Supporting the Future of UK Industrial Manufacturing
The expansion at Ottringham represents a substantial commitment to UK manufacturing, supporting the production of specialist structures used across construction, energy and infrastructure projects.
As investment in hydrogen production, battery technology, data centres and energy infrastructure continues to develop, demand for purpose-built equipment housings and protective structures is becoming increasingly important.
Thurston’s investment will provide additional manufacturing capacity to serve these markets, while strengthening its ability to deliver bespoke engineered solutions for complex industrial applications.
The facility also highlights the growing role of offsite manufacturing within the built environment, where precision fabrication, controlled production processes and specialist engineering can support the delivery of technically demanding projects.
With the new 1,250 sq m facility scheduled to become operational in the first half of 2027, Thurston Group is positioning its Ottringham operation for substantial growth.
The investment will increase specialist manufacturing output capability by 158% and support the company’s longer-term ambition to develop a manufacturing base capable of delivering more than £40 million in annual output, reinforcing its role in supplying engineered building solutions to the UK’s industrial and infrastructure sectors.
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