SIXTY-SIX new jobs will be created by a Monmouthshire company as part of a £4.3million investment in growing its business.

Siltbuster, which specialises in water treatment, is expanding its operations in Monmouth and has received a £1.15million funding package from the Welsh Government and Finance Wales.

The company has helped tackle the dirty water produced by construction work on projects ranging from Birmingham New Street station, Heathrow Terminal 5, Crossrail and the Olympic Park through to the construction of Airbus’ new UK factory and the Copenhagen Metro.

The cabinet secretary of economy and infrastructure, Ken Skates AM, said: “This is a significant investment that will create high quality jobs and enable the company to grow and meet the growing worldwide demand for its products and services.

“Siltbuster is a highly innovative company and an acknowledged authority in its highly specialised field with an international reputation for excellence.

“It has seen year-on-year growth in sales and services both in the UK and worldwide which is a result of on-going investment in new product development.“I am delighted the Welsh Government and Finance Wales are supporting their expansion that will mark a new chapter in the company’s development.”

The deal is the first created from the £136million Wales Business Fund, backed by the European Regional Development Fund and Welsh Government and managed by Finance Wales.

Currently employing 48 people, the move will more than double staff numbers creating 66 jobs, while the company forecasts doubling turnover by 2020.

Siltbuster has outgrown its current facilities at Unipure House and is to construct a purpose-designed 2000 square metre headquarters that includes offices, workshop, warehousing and storage yard on a 10-acre site nearby.

All its products are designed in Monmouth and supported up by an in-house laboratory and site support engineers.

Its business plan includes continued expansion into new territories and continued growth of its industrial and recycling business (SPS and Gritbuster).

Siltbuster’s chief executive, Dr Richard Coulton, who founded the business, said: “It’s amazing to think that not long ago we had just one product for one specific application.

“Over the past 17 years we have grown to have over 50 different products treating anything from radioactive particles to baked beans.”

“Siltbuster is a growing family business with a strong track record in a growing sector. This new premises move is needed to help them expand further,” said Leanna Davies, the investment executive from Finance Wales.

“We worked in partnership with the company, the bank and Welsh Government to package a bespoke investment to suit the needs of the business and the other funders involved.”

Through its industrial subsidiary SPS, it has provided temporary and permanent water treatment solutions to industrial, municipal and food and drink markets and currently has plants treating a diverse range of waste streams, from whiskey distilleries, cider production, most food and drink processes to the removal of arsenic.

Further afield, the company operates overseas through distributors and provided clarifiers to control pollution from the salvage of the Costa Concordia and has undertaken mine treatment projects around the world.

Most recently Siltbuster has entered into an agreement with the world’s leading robotic hydro-demolition company Aquajet to design and manufacture a bespoke water treatment solution, the EcoClear.