Family firm moves across the river to Lancaster after more than 50 years in Halton

Lancastle was praised for its involvement in developing the pioneering Morecambe Bay Hood during the pandemic.

Together with University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust and BAE Systems, Lancastle developed PPE hoods to replace those created for industrial rather than clinical environments.

The hoods were designed for free and supplied to hospital wards during 2021.

The Halton factory also supported voluntary efforts to make scrubs for the Royal Lancaster Infirmary during the pandemic’s height. It cut fabric into pattern pieces and packed them for dispatch to Morecambe Bay Scrubs group.

However, recent soaring energy costs at Halton proved too much for Lancastle which has now joined two other parts of the NC Lancaster Group at Lune Industrial Estate.

“The reason for the move out of Halton was to consolidate our operations onto one site on Lune Industrial Estate where we also have premises,” said managing director, Neville Clokey.

“The move was in part driven by the dramatic escalation in energy costs, which more than quadrupled, making it very difficult to manage on two sites.”

All 12 of Lancastle’s staff transferred to Lancaster to join a total of 23 employees at NC Lancaster Group.

Originally founded in 1950, Lancastle was set up to convert locally manufactured acetate fabrics into women’s lingerie. After moving to Halton in the Seventies, it produced knitwear and other clothes.

Later in the Seventies, Lancastle became one of Europe’s most experienced designers and suppliers of powered and supplied air hoods and face seals.

It has since become a leading supplier of FME (Foreign Material Exclusion) products for the UK and its customers range from multinational blue chip companies to start-ups.

Mr Clokey acquired Lancastle about seven years ago and it is still a family firm. NC Lancaster Group also comprises Normesh, which supplies sewing, cutting and mesh fabrication services for products, and NC Lancaster Ltd which provides worldwide sourcing and logistics.

Agile prototyping is a speciality, where designs can be made into prototypes for development into finished products quicker than larger firms.

“We have highly skilled people here in Lancaster and because we are a small operation, it gives us the ability to be very agile,” Mr Clokey explained.