A BOLTON firm has been chosen as one of only six companies to take part in the prestigious Environmental Technology Exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham. Hick Hargreaves, a major manufacturer and exporter of vacuum pumping systems, is featured on the Overseas Trade Services (OTS) stand at this week's exhibition. The Bolton company is also exhibiting an environmentally friendly vacuum pumping system and the Chemdry pumping system at the Pump and Valves Systems 96 exhibition taking place in the same venue. The company, which employs more than 350 people at its Crook Street headquarters in Bolton, was set up in the 1830s and exports worldwide.

However it was only around 10 years ago that its Machinery Division began to seriously examine export markets, employing an export sales manager to expand its markets.

Since then the division's export turnover has increased from around £500,000 per annum to £5m each year.

Norman Gaygan, sales and marketing manager for the Machinery Division, said: "Hick Hargreaves are firm believers in using OTS and from recent market information enquiry reports we have appointed agents in several countries such as Lebanon, Poland, Jordan, Kuwait, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Thailand." Hick Hargreaves has a long history and was the driving force of the industrial revolution, the steam engine.

Continuous development since then has seen the company become one of the world's leading manufacturers of vacuum plant, including steam, gas, air and water operated ejectors.

The company today spans the globe from its headquarters and factory in Bolton, with group companies in Belgium, Canada , France, Germany and the USA as well as company offices in both South Africa and Singapore.

"We have used Department of Enterprise funding to appear at exhibitions on many occasions over the years and without this initial support we would not have been able to attend so many exhibitions," said Mr Gaygan.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.