A BOLTON company formed by two joiners is one of the finalists in this year's Flying Start business competition.

Roberts Cubbage Joinery Ltd of Saville Street is featured in the heat to be televised by Granada on Tuesday, July 1, at 7.30pm.

Director Ken Roberts, who appears in the programme, said today: "It was a bit daunting at times but it was a good insight into television.

"We also made some useful contacts."

Mr Roberts, aged 45, who was born in Radcliffe and went to Radcliffe Secondary Modern School, started as a self-employed joinery contractor in 1979, mainly on domestic work.

By 1985 he had set up a joinery workshop in All Saints Street, Bolton, employing two joiners and supplying joinery products to other trade and domestic customers.

In 1989 he formed a partnership with Kevin Cubbage, who was a customer and was also carrying out installation work for Ken Roberts Joinery.

In April 1990 they invested about £20,000 in PVCu window manufacturing machinery and started manufacturing in Saville Mill, Bolton.

Roberts Cubbage Joinery Ltd was formed in 1991 with the two partners as directors.

It now employs 18 people producing about 300 windows a week.

Business has been boosted recently by two major orders, worth £500,000 each, to supply windows for Wigan Council projects.

Mr Roberts says: "As our name suggests, we are a joinery manufacturing company, albeit in PVCu rather than timber where we started.

"We are not, we stress, a double-glazing company."

Mr Roberts said they were working on five sites in Bolton.

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