The new facility is designed to further increase production capacity to meet rising worldwide demand for the company's market leading fire detection and alarm control panel products, in particular from the United States, the Middle East and Far East, with overseas sales making up more than 40 per cent of total sales of around £9m.

Kentec Managing Director Ray King in welcoming guests said: 'This latest development rounds off another major investment program undertaken by Kentec and sets the business up for further expansion and further market penetration. It is this continual improvement of our in-house manufacturing capabilities that gives Kentec the flexibility to provide customers with engineered products they demand, very quickly and to very precise requirements.'

During 2011 the company will be launching a revolutionary new product concept that is designed to take the power, flexibility and performance of fire detection and alarm control to a new level; a development the company believes will further increase market share and possibly create additional jobs.