OREANDA-NEWS. Hayward Tyler Group plc (AIM: HAYT.L), the specialist engineering group, is pleased to report that works relating to the expansion plans for its main manufacturing facilities at Luton have commenced as a result of the recently awarded ?3.5million Regional Growth Fund.

Demolition and site clearance of structures on land owned by the Group adjacent to its main manufacturing centre in Luton is scheduled for completion late February 2015 and will allow the Company to move ahead with the expansion of its current facilities at the site.

A key focus for the Regional Growth Fund backed project, in addition to increasing the Group's production capacity and operating efficiencies, is to create assembly lines and dedicated test pits for each of its energy markets - civil nuclear,  conventional power and oil & gas. In total the footprint of the factory will increase by approximately 50% which, combined with the on-going operational improvements, should provide a doubling of potential capacity.

Separately, Hayward Tyler is pleased to announce that it has also drawn down the first tranche of its Civil Nuclear Sharing in Growth Grant and that the up-skilling of its workforce, as part of its Continuous Improvement Programme, continues to make excellent progress with over 90% of the Company's 220 staff in Luton having now passed two core training modules.

As part of the firm's commitment to Best in Class training excellence in the sector, the Company has also hired an additional Training and Development Manager at its Luton centre.

Ewan Lloyd-Baker, CEO of Hayward Tyler, commented:

"We continue to remain positive about the longer term opportunities in our end markets which underlines the need for us to both expand capacity and improve efficiencies at our main manufacturing facility in Luton. We are also pleased by the growing interest in civil nuclear activity in the UK which has resulted in our appointment of a dedicated Business Development manager to capitalise on the opportunities we now see."

Hayward Tyler currently has over 700 units installed in nuclear power stations globally with a focus on the US, Canada, South Korea, the UK and Sweden.

Separately, the Company is pleased to report that Ewan Lloyd-Baker and Nick Flanagan will be presenting at an event organised by Shares Magazine this evening in London, sponsored by the London Stock Exchange and AJ Bell Youinvest.