Darren Kell, left, UpRight CEO, gave England’s prime minister Tony Blair a tour of the company’s new Vigo Centre headquarters.

Tanfield Group Plc, which bought the machine division of UpRight last year, opened its new Vigo Centre headquarters with the backing and presence of England’s prime minister Tony Blair.

“This unique company is a prime example of U.K. manufacturing innovation at its best,” said Blair. “In just three years, Tanfield has grown from a small enterprise with a good idea into a thriving global manufacturer, with its heart in the northeast of England. This will be a company that will really make its presence felt not just in the northeast, but actually throughout the world.”

“During his visit, the Prime Minister made it clear to us, both publicly and privately, that he is incredibly supportive of our business model,” said Darren Kell, UpRight’s chief executive. UpRight, which recently opened a U.S. facility in Madera, Calif., had a strong presence at the recent Rental Show in Atlanta.

Tanfield acquired UpRight in June 2006 and has since increased output five-fold, while maintaining a record order intake, the company said. The immediate sales increase for UpRight prompted the need to seek larger facilities.

Tanfield’s Vigo Centre headquarters is Washington, Tyne & Wear, England.