Sunderland business more than doubles in size just over a year after its launch

DLAW Contractors was founded in April 2019 by four Sunderland-born oil and gas industry experts with a combined 72 years’ experience in welding, pipefitting and contracting.

The quartet launched the business after spotting a market gap for the supply of specialised, industrial-scale geothermal heating and cooling systems for the agricultural and energy sectors.

Initially operating from two shipping containers at the Port of Sunderland, the company soon moved to its own dedicated 200sqm manufacturing facility at the port and doubled its head count from four to eight.

Now DLAW has acquired a larger building just yards from its initial facility and increased its capacity by 150 per cent to 500sqm.

DLAW was launched after managing director Dale Barry, who has worked in the oil and gas sector for 23 years, was asked to help design and manufacture a new heating and cooling solution as part of his own agricultural goods production business.

This led to the formation of DLAW with former colleagues and time-served tradesmen Lee Ashman, Anthony Turnbull and Dean Walton.

Dale said: “We completed the first order and once the client saw the standard of manufacture, that was it. They asked if we could begin producing them on mass and DLAW was born.”

Lee added: “Our new manufacturing facility will not only allow us to increase output but will also see us diversify into new sectors and continue bringing high-skilled job opportunities to the city.”

DLAW, which hopes to shortly employ apprentices, has invested in Port of Sunderland after being impressed by the site’s accessibility and facilities.

Port director Matthew Hunt said DLAW was an “absolutely fantastic success story” and added: “To have grown at such rapid pace, in such a short time, is testament to just how forward-thinking and innovative these four guys are.”

Councillor Graeme Miller, chair of Port of Sunderland, said: “The scale at which DLAW has grown in its first year is remarkable and we’d like to wish them all the best for the future, as they continue to bring highly skilled welding jobs back to the city as well as creating opportunities for young people.”

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