AB Dynamics at Bradford on Avon has submitted a planning application to Wiltshire Council for a second purpose-built manufacturing centre.

The new £5 million factory would be opposite the company’s £9 million head office on the Holt Road, which was opened by Richard, Duke of Gloucester, in August.

The company says the 33,000 sq ft development will mean the creation of additional highly-skilled jobs locally and, together with the existing building, will establish a high-calibre business hub close to Bradford on Avon’s town centre.

The advanced engineering solutions provider says the building, which they hope will be complete by August 2020, will help the company improve its operational productivity and aid future expansion.

James Routh, Chief Executive Officer at AB Dynamics, said it represents a substantial new investment as part of AB Dynamics’ longstanding commitment to engineering in Bradford on Avon.

He added: “This new building will be critical to help facilitate future growth so that we can continue to successfully compete in a global market, along with creating many skilled jobs to boost the local economy.”

The company said close interaction between design engineers and production staff is vital to the business and the spread of offices across five sites in Wiltshire can lead to inefficiencies.

The planning application comes a year after the company moved most of its operations into its new £9m tailored engineering facility, now employing more than 160 people worldwide, with recruitment continuing apace.

Anthony Best founded AB Dynamics in 1982 to provide noise, vibration and suspension engineering services to the global automotive industry.

Over the past 36 years, the company has grown to become one of the world’s most trusted suppliers of automotive test systems worldwide. to 25 of the world’s most successful car manufacturers

Mr Routh added: “AB Dynamics has good reason to expect this to continue in the medium term as a result of its enlarged forward order book and encouraging sales prospects for new products under development.

“The rising global demand for high-quality automotive test equipment is a contributing factor in the recent growth of overseas sales, with over 97 per cent of products exported.”