Retired and current employees were among the guests when Keighley paper tubes manufacturer J Stell & Sons showed off their new £750,000 expansion project on Friday. Director Roderick Stell, who runs the firm with brother and fellow director Vaughan, says: "This year has seen a significant addition to the working area with a 2,000 sq metre extension as our company continues to expand vigorously.

"The new extension provides more warehousing and production area, and represents a self-funded investment of £750,000. It was necessary because we were short of space to meet our production requirements, and will help to secure the future of the company and its 140 employees."

Stells was founded nearly 130 years ago by Roderick and Vaughan's great-grandfather John Stell, and remains family-owned. Originally the company's products were aimed solely at the textile industry, but as that declined the firm diversified and now supplies paper and cardboard tubes to a wide range of industries. "We supply every market where cardboard tubes are used, for every conceivable use in the house or industry," says Roderick. "We have already moved one of our production departments into the new building, and will be adding an extra production line there in the next few months."

The new extension was opened by former worker Marguerite Foster, 76, and sales representative John Stell, great-great-grandson of the founder.

Marguerite started work for the firm in 1938, when founder John Stell was still in charge, and remained until her retirement in 1993.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.