Up to 50 new jobs are set to be created by a leading furniture manufacturer as part of a £6 million expansion plan.

Senator International has drawn up proposals to expand its facility off Whinney Hill Road in Huncoat to make it its new ‘export-hub’.

The scheme, which has been welcomed by council chiefs, includes an extension to its existing distribution centre, installing a new recycling building and garage and expanding the lorry park to accommodate up to 45 vehicles.

Company bosses said this is a continuation of a £6m expansion scheme started in 2010 and will create up to 50 new jobs, primarily based in seating production and dispatch areas.

Paul Clarke, commercial director, said: “We are still growing incredibly well and last year as a group we had a turnover of £123 million.

"We need more manufacturing and storage space for the seating factory.

“Our exports account for 15 per cent of the business and we want to grow that to 25 per cent over the next five years.

"We anticipate what we are doing there will create another 50 jobs on that site.

"We are the biggest office manufacturer in Europe and we have to push abroad to continue growing.”

Mr Clarke said if the scheme is approved by the council’s planning department they would could start the new phase of expansion as soon as next month and have it completed by the end of next year.

Planning documents sent to Hyndburn council said the base at Huncoat would operate as the ‘export hub of the business’.

A design and access statement said its seating factory at Huncoat has grown by 27 per cent in the last two years and they now employ 46 more people than three years ago.

The report said: “Senator International Ltd continues to see growth within existing and emerging markets and has seen increases in demand for its products worldwide.

“As a result, there is a requirement to improve the logistics element of the business and provide additional warehousing at Huncoat.

"The development of the Whinney Hill Link Road with further enhance the ability of employers to make and distribute goods from Huncoat.”

Deputy council leader Paul Cox said it was ‘really good news’ to see the company looking to stay in the borough, expand and create new jobs rather than relocate.