In 1986 Don's son Nigel joined the Company following a Manufacturing Apprenticeship with Michelin Tyre PLC. Shortly afterwards the Company moved to a new 25,000 square feet factory in Ballymena. The Company at present employs 45 people ( 7 former apprentices now in Management positions) and has ambitious plans for more employment and new plant in the future.

The Company has always been involved in Precision Engineering. It has always believed that in order to maintain its position in the market and complete with firms in England and abroad that it had to use the latest technology. In 1982 the Company acquired its first computer numerical control machine. It now has twenty five of these in various sizes, both milling and turning. The machines are supported by a Computer Aided Programme System to produce all the relevant data for Input / Output of programmes.

To strengthen the company's position in the market we have recently developed a sub-assembly/assembly capability. This enabled us to offer our customers a 'One Stop Shop' approach, which takes their design drawings, procures or manufactures the component parts and sub-assembles/assembles these together to produce a finished product.

In June 1989, BS EN ISO 9002 was obtained giving the Company greater strength and endorsing its policy towards Quality.

Dontaur is also fully approved by British Aerospace and Bombardier Aerospace.

Having had an association with Bombardier Shorts for some 16 years, in December 1991 the Company became a "Preferred Supplier". In December 1993 Dontaur was awarded by Short Brothers PLC the "Supplier of the Year" award.