Wates has secured a number of contract wins in Cumbria one year after the company announced its intention to target new sectors in the region.

With turnover standing at £19.5 million and a forward order book of £51m, the company has won deals in the advanced manufacturing, defence and pharmaceuticals sectors, as well as increasing its presence on regional procurement frameworks.

The expansion followed Wates' acquisition of a number of contracts and strategic framework positions from Shepherd Construction Ltd in October 2015.

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Key wins include being appointed to build BAE Systems Submarines' new Central Training Facility, as well as being selected to build the £30m Campus Whitehaven on behalf of Cumbria County Council, The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Sellafield Ltd, Copeland Borough Council and Copeland Community Fund.

In addition, the new projects has allowed Wates to grow its regional team to 18 people.

Tony Shenton, Business Unit Director, Wates Construction North West, said: "The past year has seen us succeed in our plans to expand our North West operations further north into Cumbria building momentum in the region and ensuring that our business growth is sustainable. In doing so, we have been able to use our work to benefit the Cumbria economy, community and job market.

"We very much look forward to delivering the fantastic projects that we have secured throughout 2016, building our project portfolio in the region and continuing our work with new and current clients as our growth continues."

(LM/MH)