Snorkel was forced to downsize the workforce at its Vigo Centre headquarters in Tyne & Wear as the recession hit.
But demand is returning for aerial lifts and the company could boost its workforce by up half again.
Brendan Campbell, Group Operations Director, said: “After talking to our key customers, our build plan for 2012 calls for up to a 50 per cent growth in our assembly workforce between now and September.
“This will be a gradual process as we ramp up production in line with demand.
“Principally we will be employing production operatives for our assembly lines, but we are also taking on three new apprentices as we build for the future.”
Snorkel manufacturers aerial work platforms for a wide range of working at height applications, from major construction projects to facilities maintenance in offices, hotels and public buildings.
The company recently announced it was raising an additional £12m from investors, to help increase production capacity in line with surging demand for its products as its order book swelled by 170% in recent months.
The Vigo Centre factory in Washington exports more than 95% of its production to Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Pacific Rim.