FIFTEEN jobs will be created as part of a £2.1 million expansion at Scarborough-based AWJ Glass Ltd.

The window unit manufacturer has secured funding from Bank Of Scotland Corporate to buy a new factory and invest in a glass toughening furnace, which will be up and running by October.

The company manufactures sealed window units for the construction and home improvement markets.

It supplies high performance, decorative leading and Georgian style double glazed units windows, but had to outsource its glass toughening to a third party supplier.

The new factory, in Eastfield, Scarborough, covers 30,000 sq ft and will also manufacture new energy saving glass, which uses an invisible metallic coatings to provide improved insulation.

Before the investment, AWJ Glass employed 50 people and turned over £2.5 million. The company now hopes to increase its turnover by 25 per cent over the next year. The bank funding includes a term loan for the factory, asset finance for new manufacturing equipment and other corporate banking services.

Stephen Hanson, Bank of Scotland director of new business in York, said, "The fact that the company will now need to employ a further 15 people will no doubt attract positive attention from the local business community and means the company is a local success story."

AWJ Glass was advised by Simon Harrison, of Townsend Harrison, chartered accountants and business advisers of Malton.

Updated: 11:17 Friday, August 06, 2004