Black Country manufacturers urged to export for growth

BLACK Country manufacturers have been urged to follow the example of two of their counterparts by looking to win new business overseas.

Smethwick-based Hadley Group and Angle Ring, in Tipton, are both using advanced engineering technology in order to secure foreign orders.

The Hadley Group manufactures cold rolled steel products for bespoke applications ranging from light gauge steel framing products for the construction industry to vine posts for the wine industry, while Angle Ring specialises in bending and curving metal and alloys into a wide variety of shapes for structural and architectural use.

The companies, which both export across the globe, have held talks with UK Trade & Investment to see if their experiences could be passed on to other firms in the area looking to boost their business abroad.

Doug Mahoney, UKTI’s international trade director for the West Midlands, said: “Hadley Group and Angle Ring are outstanding examples of Black Country advanced engineering firms that are using the latest technology to beat the economic downturn by exporting.

“The global demand for their products proves their engineering is among the best in the world, and there is still plenty of potential for both companies to grow their business in new markets with help from UKTI.”

Hadley Group, which was established in 1964 and has 440 employees in the UK, also has a further 60 employees at manufacturing operations in Thailand, Dubai and Germany. The company exports to more than 30 countries across five continents, including India, South Africa, Spain, Finland and Chile, and about 20 per cent of its turnover is export business.

Stewart Towe, chief executive, said the firm had been a long-term partner of UKTI and its knowledge and contacts within certain territories had proved useful in establishing trade links.

“We have worked with UKTI for the past 15 years and the advice and support have been excellent,” said Mr Towe, who is also chairman of the new Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership.

“This has enabled us to design and develop new products specifically for these countries and decide on the best approach to reaching them – in India, for example, we operate under licence.

“UKTI also helped us to set up factories in Thailand and Dubai, which both manufacture light structural products for the construction industry.”

The company’s highest growth sectors are in areas such as solar energy and light rail, which Mr Towe said had huge export potential, particularly in the Far East.

Angle Ring has secured a number of major export contracts in France, Eastern Europe, Norway, Africa and the Middle East over the past year, again with help from UKTI.

In 2010, the company supplied bent steel tubes for the Yas Island hotel, which stands in the centre of the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix circuit.

It has just been awarded a £210,000 project to provide curved tubes which will be fitted around oil tanks in the Middle East, for fire extinguisher use.

Established in 1951, the company has 110 employees and its exports currently account for 10% of turnover, which the company hopes to grow further this year.

Associate director Nigel Darby said: “Being able to have face-to-face meetings with potential clients gave them the confidence of knowing they can work with an established and professional British manufacturer and has made all the difference.”