Manufacturer’s paint shop gets a fresh coat of investment
Worcester-based racking manufacturer Wickens Engineering has completed a £1m upgrade to its paint shop, with support from the Elevate Manufacturing Programme.
The investment aims to improve efficiency, reduce solvent usage and streamline processes.
It has also enabled the company to powder coat 8-metre-long steel beams for the first time.
Funded by Worcestershire County Council, The Elevate Manufacturing Programme works with local manufacturers to enhance productivity, sustainability and the adoption of new technologies.
The programme has already assisted over 30 businesses in the region.
Employing 50 people at its Wainwright Road factory in Worcester, the firm is now targeting £20m in revenues following the refurbishment.
Mark Rawlings, operations director at Wickens said: “We have seen strong growth in recent years, with turnover up £3m after orders from clients in the automotive, marine, recycling, construction and retail sectors. Our paint shop was reaching capacity, so we knew we had to do something about it, deciding to embark on a £1m investment in automation equipment. As part of the GROWTHmapper exercise we did with the Elevate Manufacturing Programme, we identified solutions that would unlock capacity and allow us to offer a new service to customers. We can powder coat up to 8 metres in length now and this is proving very popular with our clients, who span the length and breadth of the UK.”
The Elevate Manufacturing Programme helps SME manufacturing businesses improve their short, medium, and long-term goals through tools like GROWTHmapper and grants of up to 40% towards project costs.
It also offers a range of workshops focused on digital manufacturing, supply chain management, and more.
Jas Raju, manufacturing growth manager with the Elevate Manufacturing Programme said:
“Wickens is a well-established family business that continues to grow in Worcester, creating jobs and contributing to the local economy. Through the Programme, we’ve helped them identify key areas for improvement and access funding to accelerate their expansion towards a £20m turnover by 2028.”
