A NEW factory has no sooner opened near York than its owner has earned praise for his plans to fill many of the 60 new posts with disabled people.

John Stacey, proprietor and managing director of the £3 million turnover Nottingham-based JRS Group, has opened the 15,000 sq ft JRS Window Systems Northern factory on the former military base at Hessay Industrial Park.

The factory, which supplies windows, doors and conservatories to trade customers throughout the UK, has immediately appointed nine key staff but an extra 50 are expected to be recruited by next year - and many will be disabled people.

Mr Stacey said he was no stranger to disabilities: his brother, Gary, had lost a leg in an accident and his other brother's wife had been struck down by meningitis at the age of 15, paralysing her from the waist down.

He said he was prepared to adjust some of the brand new machinery - part of a £250,000 high-tech tooling investment - so that they could be used by people in wheelchairs. and he has sought the help and advice of York's Disability Services Team.

Dot Rayner, head of the Yorkshire and Humberside Team, said "We are delighted with his praiseworthy plans. We sincerely welcome the opportunity to work with any employer who would like to recruit or retain anyone with disabilities."

The arrival of the factory, which has already begun to fulfil its capacity of producing about 750 frames per week - almost half the total production of the other four JRS plants put together - has also received a big welcome from Paul Murphy, chief executive of York Inward Investment Board.

He said: "In York we are particularly keen to attract production-based jobs which employ traditional skills blended with new technology.

"JRS Window Systems has a positive plan for growth which we expect will provide good employment prospects for manual and craft workers in York.

The York facility will focus on the manufacture of the new Victorian Ovolo system from PVCu specialist Premier Profiles - a stylish window and door system available only through selected UK fabricators.

Updated: 11:51 Tuesday, June 25, 2002