New manufacturing facility to help VCS treble production capacity

VCS, an emergency service vehicle manufacturer, is to invest more than £5m in a new manufacturing facility for ambulances, police, and specialist vehicle conversions in Bradford this April. The firm says the new factory will ensure the UK’s continued supply of world-class emergency vehicles by creating the country’s largest dedicated manufacturing facility and trebling VCS’s current production capacity to nearly 1,500 vehicles annually.

The Bradford-based company, which started with five staff members in 2009, will have the capacity to grow its workforce to more than 150 owing to the new facility. Meanwhile, a dedicated training academy within the new site means that the company can recruit more local people without emergency services sector experience, providing a further boost to the local community.

Mark Kerrigan, managing director of VCS, said: “This is an extremely exciting milestone in VCS’s history, demonstrating our continued position as market leaders in the emergency services sector. The company continues to exceed expectations not only what VCS can do as a business but our ability to deliver high-quality, low-emissions, advanced emergency vehicles.

“Having been based in the Bradford region since our inception, we know the local people are extremely hard-working, skilled and wonderfully resourceful. We want to reward this industrious and inventive community with more opportunities for jobs, learning new skills and sharing in the company’s prosperity. Our new facility not only does this but ensures the country’s continued supply of world-class emergency vehicles.”

VCS says its new facility will help future-proof the UK’s emergency services fleet, with a new dedicated R&D facility that doubles its engineering capability. This builds upon the company’s reputation for creating the lightest vehicle conversions available – in turn aiding fuel efficiency and reducing emissions – without compromising on vehicle quality and reliability.

This investment follows a period of exceptional growth for VCS, which posted a 30% increase in turnover over two years. The company currently sits in first place on the NHS framework for ambulance convertors, while it also plans to target new international markets in the coming years.