The managing director of an East Harling-based roof truss manufacturing and tiling business has said its acquisition by builders' merchant Bradford and Sons will secure jobs.

Aspect East Anglia, which trades as Aspect Roofing, employs 50 staff members and was acquired by the long-established �150m turnover Somerset-based family business last week.

Alan Howard, managing director of Aspect East Anglia said he had decided to withdraw from the business.

He said: 'I was anxious that Aspect East Anglia became part of a larger organisation with the necessary resources to continue to develop the business and at the same time to safeguard the jobs of the employees.

'I am therefore pleased that Aspect East Anglia is to become part of the Bradfords Group, which has an excellent record of growth and profitability.'

Andrew Merriam, executive chairman of the Bradfords Group said: 'The acquisition will strengthen our existing timber engineering and manufacturing businesses by providing an opportunity to expand geographically and the potential to gain a larger share of the market.'

Aspect East Anglia, which now has a turnover of about �5m, began trading as a roofing contractor from premises in Watton in 1972.

It subsequently moved to larger premises in East Harling, where it developed its timber engineering business and also developed the design, manufacture and supply of trussed rafters part of the company.

Bradford, which has been supplying materials to the trade for more than 200 years, already has 27 branches throughout the South West, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

annabelle.dickson@archant.co.uk