POLITICAL heavyweight Ken Clarke toured a top Elland firm to officially open its new factory.
The Cabinet minister met staff at award-winning Boxford Ltd, which has proven a huge success since it moved to the town last year.
The minister without portfolio was accompanied by Calder Valley MP Craig Whittaker and the Major of Calderdale, Clr John Hardy.
And he’s been praised for spending time speaking to the shop floor workers during the tour.
Howard Barrett, company chairman, said: “We asked for a senior politician to come and open the new factory, but we didn’t know it would be Ken Clarke until recently.
“He’s a former education secretary and industry minister and we cover both of those areas.
“He spent a lot of time speaking to the staff. He made time for anyone who approached him and he stopped to speak to the operators on the shop floor.”
Boxford, based at Dewsbury Road, relocated from Wheatley, Halifax, last year, but has been in existence since the 1940s.
The company specialises in making computer aided design and computer aided manufacturing equipment for schools, for use in subjects like design and technology.
The company has seen its exports increase with demand from oversees for their technology and software packages.
Mr Barratt said: “We’ve moved from predominantly UK to predominantly exports in times of austerity and with changes to the curriculum uncertain, headteachers here are waiting before buying anything.
“But what we do is proving popular elsewhere and business is doing really well.”
Last year the firm won the prestigious Queen’s Award for enterprise.
The award recognised the company’s efforts in developing international trade links for computer-aided design equipment.
Export sales have increased by more than 600% in the last three years, while 40% of the company’s exports go to new markets in developing countries.
