Norfolk based specialist engineering contractor, DGT Steel and Cladding has a new owner.

Contracts director Barry Heyne, 44 has assumed full control of the company, taking the role of managing director and chairman after a buyout of the other existing shareholders.

Founded in 1990, DGT has been based in Lenwade, near Norwich since 1999 and has grown to be the 15th largest of its kind in the UK. Since Barry joined the company in 2000, annual turnover has increased from £10 million to £27 million. This year that figure is expected to increase still further to £32 million and the business plan is to grow this to £42m over the next three years.

The company provides building contractors with specialist engineering design and manufacturing capabilities. In the past few years it has been instrumental in several major developments, including building the framework and cladding of the new exhibition hanger at the Imperial War Museum at Duxford and the new terminal at Luton airport.

This year has already seen a number of developments for DGT. The company recently unveiled its new purpose-built 25,000 square feet production facility, part of a multi-million pound investment in new technology to ensure the company is able to keep pace with rapidly-changing construction methods and new materials. DGT is currently in talks with Breckland Council to develop a further 25,000 square feet on the same site.

New managing director Barry Heyne says: “This is an exciting time for DGT. The past few years have seen us expand our capabilities on both design and production. We are continuing to invest heavily in the company, not only to safeguard the jobs of our current employees but those of the new apprentices we are recruiting locally to meet the demands of our growing orders book.”

DGT also owns Debbage & Tubby, the well-known domestic glazing firm. While retaining the Debbage & Tubby brand, both firms will be able to call on the other’s expertise to expand the services they can offer customers. Debbage & Tubby will be able to call on DGT’s production facility to broaden its offering to include conservatories and garden rooms, while DGT will be able to call on Debbage & Tubby’s glazing expertise to widen the services it can provide its commercial customers.

The buyout was backed by HBOS with legal advice from Rogers and Norton and financial advice from Larking and Gowen.

Email: jamesd@the-works.com