It’s been in business for 275 years – and is still going strong.

Now Richard Carter Ltd has called on another long-standing Huddersfield firm to help realise its plans for expansion.

Richard Carter Ltd, the firm best-known for turning out top quality shovels and garden forks – is expanding its Brockholes premises and has invested £250,000 in new state-of-the-art machinery to help keep it ahead of the competition.

A new wood turning machine will result in a 20% improvement in efficiency compared top the firm’s previous equipment as well as providing additional training opportunities for staff to upgrade and learn new skills.

Work is also set to begin on a new 9,000sq ft warehouse built alongside the firm’s current factory at New Mill Road.

Richard Carter Ltd has appointed Lockwood-based Radcliffe Construction to build the new facility, which is being created to meet increasing customer demand and provide vital additional storage space – allowing the current 50,000sq ft site to significantly expand its manufacturing capabilities.

While Richard Carter Ltd marks 275 years in business in 2015, Radcliffe Construction has also been around for a couple of centuries. Formed in 1802, the firm built many of Huddersfield’s foremost buildings, including Storthes Hall Hospital, the George Hotel and Huddersfield Technical College.

Richard Carter Ltd is now led by managing director Richard Carter – the sixth generation of the family.

The firm was founded by Jeremiah Carter in Huddersfield in 1740 and has built up an enviable reputation as a manufacturer of quality hand tools such as spades, forks and trowels as well as rakes, axes and picks. The firm, which employs 35 staff, occupied premises at Kirkburton for many years before moving to Brockholes.

Said Mr Carter: “The new wood turning machine is cutting edge technology which will drastically improve both efficiency and productivity and make us significantly more competitive as a business.

“The new equipment combined with the site expansion shows that we’re putting all the necessary measures in place to accelerate our growth.

“We want to build on the 275 years of quality and growth that our forefathers have set the precedent for and we’re looking forward to the opportunities that the new warehouse facility and the new machinery will provide in doing so.”