Plunged into lockdown - but now this ambitious Seaham engineering firm is looking for a year of growth and jobs

Seaham-based Nala Engineers was forced to furlough staff as the country was plunged into the first national lockdown last March.

But now it is back to a healthy position and looking to take on rising talent.

Despite a healthy order book, many of the company’s contracts were put on hold when businesses in the retail and construction sectors were forced to halt operations last March.

But a few months later, the company was back at full strength and now, despite the severity of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, it is forecasting a positive year with client and personnel growth.

Director Nicola Duke said: “Although the instability of the economic climate meant we had to change our business forecasts, we ended the year on a high and now, although we remain in a third national lockdown, we have been able to continue working and are busier than we have ever been.”

Forecasts that Nala put in place at the start of 2020 are ‘once again achievable’.

“That includes continuing to invest in our talent attraction programme, which has already seen four apprentices join the business with one now fully qualified, and growing our client portfolio,” Nicola added.

Nala Engineers was founded by Pat and David Pollard in 1979 and now counts the likes of Aldi, Caterpillar, Wickes, Gateshead Housing and Matalan among its clients.

The company is based at Tempest Road in Seaham and employs a team of more than 20 people.

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