An engineering company that provides services across a large range of industries has received a grant worth thousands of pounds following its recent move into automotive testing.

Encocam, based in Stukeley Business Centre, in Huntingdon, was awarded £7,100 by the Greater Cambridgeshire Greater Peterborough (GCGP) Enterprise Partnership, through its Signpost 2 Grants project.

The fund will help the company purchase a universal test machine for testing a wide range of the products and services it offers.

Neil Darwin, chief executive of the GCGP LEP, said: “For Encocam to be able to take this grant and invest it to the point where they can compete with US organisations, both in terms of service delivered and customer service quality, is great for the company and for the innovation and potential of the GCGP area.”

The purchase of the test machine will also, the firm says, improve times for testing and enhance customer service, as tests will be more reliable with a faster turnaround. The grant will also create a new, full-time job.

“Signpost 2 Grants places importance on the creation of jobs, so for Encocam to create a full-time role from the investment of the grant is in-line with the wider economic goals for the region, and will hopefully encourage other businesses to apply for grants and create jobs when they see how other organisations are innovating,” added Mr Darwin.

Mike Ashmead, managing director of Encocam, said: “The Signpost 2 grant has been a great benefit for Encocam. We have invested heavily over the last few years in new facilities to support future growth and this scheme enables us to continue that process at a great pace.

“We are pleased to be able to grow locally, creating exciting new jobs working with innovative technology and delivering world leading products.”

Signpost 2 Grants is a new small capital grants scheme by the GCGP LEP, and is being offered to firms looking to make a capital investment to help grow business.