£40m of orders boost Lancashire engineering firm
Orders worth more than £40m have been secured by an innovative technology business based in Accrington, Lancahire.
Emerson & Renwick, a cutting-edge, independently owned engineering firm with expertise in highly specialised coating equipment is approaching its centenary year in 2018.
The company offers a broad range of printing, atmospheric coating and vacuum equipment and has seen sales soar since it launched its novel ‘Genesis’ vacuum coating platform last November.
‘Genesis’ is used to coat functional layers in high-vacuum onto plastic film, foils and even flexible glass. When combined with atmospheric coatings it is possible to create sophisticated multi-layer substrates for use in a bewildering array of technologies.
Building on an already strong export order book, the latest contracts with US-based businesses, have come along as a direct result of the company’s innovative approach which was underpinned by a £1.5m investment in a Technology Centre on its site at Peel Bank.
A £10m order has been signed with a new customer in Silicon Valley for delivery this year. The equipment supplied under this contract utilises high-definition printing and vacuum coating techniques to create printed flexible electronics.
A further contract, worth in excess of £30m, has been placed from the US for a number of machine systems, due for delivery in 2018; these will be used in the roll-to-roll manufacture of the next-generation of renewable energy elements.
Chairman Colin Hargreaves said: “There are exciting times ahead for us and for a number of other companies who supply key components to us. These contracts will require a substantial amount of sub-contract work to be placed with businesses in the Hyndburn area and across Europe.
“We will be investing in additional capital equipment and further recruitment of personnel to ensure that we meet the necessary delivery schedules.
“The board is delighted that the decision just four years ago to develop an offer in the vacuum coating sector is creating such interest. We have seen year-on-year growth in sales in this time, but these contracts bring a different dimension.”
Potential customers have visited from the UK, USA, Europe, China and Asia to see the ‘Genesis’ machine working.
The Technology Centre allows businesses to perform trials on the equipment, produce prototypes and perform research and development. This allows various technology risks to be addressed before making full-blown purchases for production equipment and allows customers to build their confidence in new techniques.
Hargreaves continued: “Our name is now firmly on the map of vacuum depositing innovators. We are delighted to see the growth in this exciting sector with new customers, but it is imperative for us to also protect our existing customer base.
