SCHOOLS and colleges across the world are being supplied with specialist equipment by a Brighouse manufacturing firm.

Denford Ltd, based at Armytage Road, has more than 50 years of successful global trading – exporting to more than 80 countries and developing new markets in Australia, Brunei, Morocco, Lithuania, Syria, Jordan and Kazakhstan.

Denford, which employs 25 people, supplies products such as multimedia software for teaching the principles of design and manufacture through to computer-controlled milling machines, lathes, routers, prototyping and laser cutting machines to teach complex engineering concepts and manufacturing techniques.

The company is also founder and sponsor of F1 in Schools – the world’s biggest science, technology, engineering and maths-based education project. It operates in more than 40 countries with 20m students engaged. F1 in Schools is sponsored by global giants, including Jaguar Land Rover, McLaren and Mercedes. It also has high-profile patrons, including Ross Brawn, team principal for Mercedes AMG and Adrian Newey, chief technical officer for Red Bull Racing.

Denford managing director Simon Moorhouse said: “Traditionally, Denford’s export activities have been focused on countries such as India, Pakistan and South East Asia where students continue to value careers in engineering and manufacturing industries.

“However, in recent times, Denford has focused on a number of new markets such as Australia and the Middle East and emerging markets where education is seen as a priority such as Brunei, Morocco, Lithuania, Nigeria, Syria, Jordan and former Eastern Bloc countries like Kazakhstan.”

He said: “Due to the country’s richness of natural resources such as oil, gas and minerals, Kazakhstan recognises the importance of having well-educated multi-skilled young people.

“They are aware that good teaching involves stimulating students’ creativity and curiosity and teaching them the knowledge and skills needed to turn creativity into functional ‘real-life’ products.”

Denford worked closely with Kazakhstan government bodies to provide equipment to focus on the study of electronics, computer-aided design and manufacture and robotics. It has equipped the first two schools with the design and manufacture equipment and is supporting eight further institutions.