Engineering group redoubles plans to recruit 500 new workers
A West Midlands engineering firm is redoubling efforts to complete an ambitious growth strategy.
Kings Norton-based adi Group unveiled plans in 2016 to recruit more than 500 new staff in order to double the size of its workforce by 2020.
Its rolling five-year business plan is designed to grow turnover organically from its current £82m to in excess of £200m.
In order to achieve this, the firm needs to grow its workforce so it can service blue chip clients such as Cadbury, Coca-Cola and BAE Systems.
The new jobs are across 30 disciplines and extend into the Automotive, Food & Beverage, Manufacturing, Aerospace & Defence, Pharmaceutical and Petrochemical sectors.
Founded as a single business offering by chief executive Alan Lusty (pictured) in 1990, the group has quadrupled in size since 2005 and spread from being a supplier of electrical installation services, to add automation, welding and fabrication to its offering. Its ambition remains to add a further division or market sector every 12 to 18 months.
Despite employing more than 600 people, the group is still intent on bridging the skills gap that threatens to halt the growth of the engineering industry.
In 2014, the business launched its own in-house apprenticeship academy, devising a programme focused on the core elements of the business.
In addition to the more traditional apprenticeship approach, in 2016 the group launched a pre-apprenticeship programme for 14-16 year olds with the aim of inspiring school children into engineering.
In partnership with nearby North Bromsgrove High School, the programme occupies around 10% of the pupils’ GCSE curriculum and also gives them the opportunity of extended work experience.
Drawing inspiration from Formula 1, Mr Lusty tried to put innovative and continuous improvement at the heart of everything the group does. Even its meeting rooms are named after motorsport legends like Stirling Moss, Nigel Mansell and Graham Hill.
James Sopwith, Group Strategic Account Director, said: “In order to achieve our strategic objectives, we must identify and attract engineers with the skills and outlook to drive our business forward.
“We’ve built a driven and dynamic culture here, and work hard to get it right first time for our clients, so we’re looking for high calibre people, with core and advanced engineering skills and the values and mindset to enhance our growing team.”
