April 22, 2026 - 290 views
A North Wales engineering firm has pledged to continue investing in the local economy after spending more than £1 million with regional contractors and suppliers as part of a major expansion.
Six months after officially opening its new factory in Kinmel Bay, Continental Diamond Tool says the move has already transformed its operations and positioned the site for significant future growth.
The new facility is three times the size of its previous premises nearby and is at the centre of a £4 million expansion programme backed by the company’s American parent firm. A key part of the development is the installation of electro-plating equipment, with 30 new tanks recently delivered from the United States, adding to the 16 already in use.
Plans are in place to increase that number to around 200 tanks over the next two years, boosting electro-plating capacity by 400 per cent and enabling the company to meet growing global demand for its specialist tools.
Production Manager Justin Hughes said the expansion was not only transforming the business but also delivering a major boost to the regional economy.
He explained that much of the manufacturing and installation work was being carried out by local firms, with components produced in nearby Rhyl and Wrexham, and contractors based just metres from the company’s site on the industrial estate.
Over the past year alone, the company has spent more than £1 million with North Wales businesses, a figure Hughes said reflects a conscious decision to keep investment within the local economy.
He said that as someone who lives in the area, it was important to him that the company’s growth benefited the wider community, adding that the majority of the firm’s customers are based overseas, effectively bringing new income and job opportunities into the region.
The expansion is expected to double the workforce to around 80 employees in the coming years, with the company keen to retain its highly skilled local staff by remaining in the Kinmel Bay area.
The site has only been producing electro-plated grinding wheels for the past 18 months, but demand for the products has surged and they are now on course to become the company’s biggest seller.
During a recent visit from the United States, Vice President of the Plated Products Division Jordan Donnelly said the growth in demand had been “phenomenal”, driven by global supply challenges, changing materials and increasing need for high-performance tooling across multiple industries.
He said the Kinmel Bay facility had the potential to become a leading centre for the company’s electro-plated products, with the expanded capacity allowing it to produce a wider range of tools used in sectors including aerospace, automotive, medical manufacturing and power generation.
From components for aircraft engines and braking systems to medical devices and prosthetic limbs, the company’s diamond-based tools play a critical role in modern manufacturing.
Donnelly added that as materials become stronger and more complex, the need for precision-engineered solutions continues to grow, creating significant opportunities for expansion in the UK and European markets.
With installation of the new equipment set to begin shortly, company leaders say the development marks an “extremely exciting” chapter for the Kinmel Bay site—one that not only strengthens its global position but also ensures the benefits of its success continue to be felt across North Wales.
