By Ian McConnell

AN Ayr-based manufacturer of laboratory test sieves which started off in founder and owner Allen Matthews’ garage is celebrating a rise in annual turnover through the £1 million mark.

Glenammer, founded in 1998, has achieved a 15% rise in turnover to £1.04m in its current financial year ending this month, in spite of the Covid-19 pandemic and associated restrictions which meant the factory was closed for a period of weeks.

It noted it had manufactured and sold a record 28,678 sieves in the past year.

The family-run company produces a range of high-end, stainless-steel, test sieves, airjet sieves, and sieve shakers, to assist particle analysis, sample-size grading, and material separation.

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Glenammer, which employs 18 people and exports sieves to 70 countries including Australia and China, noted that it supplies some of the world’s leading laboratories and engineering companies.

A spokeswoman for the company said Mr Matthews, an engineer by trade, had founded the company “on the innovative principle of producing better-quality laboratory sieves made exclusively from stainless steel”.

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She noted that, when Mr Matthews officially retired in 2016, his daughter Claire Wallis took over the management of the business.

Glenammer recently expanded its operations to a 7,000 sq ft factory.

Ms Wallis said: "The past year has been challenging for so many businesses, but I believe that we are now coming out the other end and our goal this year is for further growth across our product range, especially with the launch of our new 3D electromagnetic sieve shakers – a game-changer in providing users with highly accurate results."

She added: "We are extremely proud of what we have achieved so far and are committed to further strengthening the business by focusing on our core products and expanding into new geographical areas. We are extremely passionate about producing the highest quality of test sieves – we know that for our customers particle analysis is key and the most exacting standards are required, and our mission is to help our customers achieve the very best in their field.”