A NORTH Yorkshire manufacturer is feeling the benefit of last winter’s extreme weather conditions with a boost in orders for its winter maintenance and road repair vehicles that has led to the creation of 20 new jobs.

Econ Engineering, which is the UK’s largest gritter and hot box manufacturer, producing 80 per cent of all the salt spreading vehicles used on the country’s roads, is introducing a full night shift at its Ripon manufacturing base.

The £30 million turnover family business is currently recruiting for 20 new staff after a dramatic upsurge in orders from local authorities and other clients.

Econ sales director Andrew Lupton said: “We are boosting production of our iconic Econ snow clearing and pot hole repair vehicles to meet the huge demand from our customers throughout the UK. Councils are now in the process of patching up and repairing the roads after the ravages of a long cold winter – as well as planning ahead for next winter.”