A ROYAL visitor opened the new head offices of one of Dorset’s fastest-growing companies.

The Duke of Kent visited Poole-based BOFA, which is a world leader in industrial fume and dust extraction technology.

The company, founded in a domestic garage, was the subject of a management buyout in 2015.

It now exports to more than 120 countries.

BOFA celebrated its 30th anniversary last year and received the Queen’s Award for Innovation.

Its new building houses what the company says are the world’s most advanced fume and dust extraction research facilities, as well as corporate services including customer support, marketing, product management, HR and finance.

BOFA managing director Tony Lockwood said: “We are very proud to fly the flag for British manufacturing and our investment in these new facilities will enhance our ability to innovate and expand as we drive forward our ambitious plans for the future.

“Our achievement of the Queen’s Award for Innovation last year reaffirmed to me the importance of the company’s core values of innovation, customer service and support for our people in the implementation of our strategic plans to meet growing worldwide demand for our technology.”

The company employs more than 250 people designing and producing its extraction systems, which remove harmful airborne contaminants created in industrial processes.

The new building on Creekmoor Industrial Estate increases the company’s footprint in Poole by 25 per cent.

It includes a research and development facility to support the work of a 14-strong specialist team of chartered engineers and technicians.

Last year’s Queen’s Award was for its Intelligent Operating (iQ) platform, which brought new levels of monitoring, analytics and control to extraction systems.

As well as its UK investment, the company has opened an office in Germany, added a business development function in Poland and enhanced its operation in the USA.