A HEDGE End company is to expand - creating 50 new jobs.

SPI Lasers is to open a new unit at Wellington Park giving a boost to the local economy.

Set up in 1999, the company produces Fiber lasers used in a wide range of industries including automotive, electronics and the medical device sectors.

The lasers are used by industries to improve welding, cutting, marking and micro-machining operations.

Now the company is set to open a new unit on June 4.

The new site will have a new mezzanine floor installed to accommodate new offices, product development area, meeting rooms and a staff canteen - adding 40,000sq feet to the existing 60,000 sq footage.

Approximately 20,000sq ft will be set aside for a new state of the art production clean room facility.

Dr Mark Greenwood, CEO at SPI Laser, said: “This is an exciting time in our history; we work in a fast paced, technologically advanced industry and this expansion is critical in enabling us to continue to lead and innovate within the fiber laser community. It means we are perfectly positioned to handle the increasing global demand for these versatile manufacturing tools; as we expand our presence in markets such as Asia and the US the capability this facility will provide will be invaluable.”

The company has more than 300 employees, serving customers in more than 150 countries.

“We have a great team at SPI and I am very pleased we have managed to increase our manufacturing and office space within our existing Hedge End site; it will allow us to continue recruiting from the great talent pool available within the Hampshire area,” Dr Greenwood added.

While the new site will be officially opened in June, the existing facility will free up space to allow the company to expand its production capacity for high power CW lasers.

Kevin Stansfield, director of Hampshire Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the news and said: “It was great to see a locally born and bred company expanding yet again. We have a great history of developing world class leading technology companies in the area and with its direct access routes to the rest of the UK, Europe and the rest of the world, the Solent region is the “Silicon Valley” of the UK.”