WM Masters: Innovation and willingness to export pays off for manufacturers
CAPITALISING on opportunities in export markets have helped to underpin growth strategies for two of the winners at TheBusinessDesk.com’s inaugural West Midlands Business Masters awards.
Birmingham-based Brandauer and Sertec, from Coleshill, have both leveraged demand from high growth economies such as China to help improve sales.
Their respective performances were honoured at the awards ceremony at Birmingham Town Hall, presented in association with Jaguar.
Brandauer, which this year celebrates its 150th anniversary, produces in excess of 4m parts every week for customers across the globe, with 75% heading overseas to markets such as China and the United States.
The performance saw the firm lift the Exporter Award, sponsored by Baker Tilly.
Rowan Crozier, the firm’s sales and marketing director, said: “The export market has been loyal to us all through the recession. We now have plans to break into new markets and are looking at delivering into the automotive and electronics sectors as well as products linked to fuel cells.
“These are very exciting times for the business.”
The company, which has recently announced the appointment of John Crabtree as it new chairman, beat off competition from Power Panels Electrical Systems, of Cheslyn Hay; like Brandauer at member of the 10-strong Manufacturing Assembly Network, and Halesowen-based Thompson Friction Welding.
Bill Long, of sponsor Baker Tilly, said it was encouraging to see firms adopting a positive approach to exports, which would in turn help to generate new jobs and growth for the region.
Automotive components supplier Sertec is a major beneficiary of the growth of Jaguar Land Rover. It has expanded into new premises and is expanding its workforce after being awarded a major contract to supply components for JLR’s new Evoque model.
Sertec chairman Graham Mosedale, pictured centre receiving the award from Andrew Harrison, managing director, Midlands & East of England, RBS, said the company was now looking to increase turnover to £50m over the next two years.
It is also following JLR into China and has agreed a £5m venture that will see the company supply the recently announced joint venture between JLR and its Chinese partner Chery.
“We have to go where the business is and if that means following JLR into China then that’s what we will do,” he said.
The company beat off competition from Exporter winner Brandauer and Stoke-based tyre manufacturer Michelin to land the Manufacturer Award, which was sponsored by RBS.
[VIDEO: 528]Telford-based Elite Precast Concrete was the winner of the Innovator Award, which was sponsored by Millennium Point.
The firm has invested heavily in innovation and unusually it employs no external sales people, preferring instead to maximise opportunities offered online through search engine optimisation and social media.
The approach has paid dividends and the firm is supplying 15,000 concrete fence supports to organisers of the London Olympic Games.
Sales and marketing director for the firm, Owen Batham, said the company was now looking to expand in a sector which had plenty of scope for growth.
Runners-up in the category were Solihull software firm Contigo and Thompson Friction Welding, form Halesowen.
Pictured receiving the Innovator Award are, from left: Andy Coyne, editor, TheBusinessDesk.com West Midlands, Owen Batham, sales and marketing director, Elite Precast Concrete and Philip Singleton, chief executive, Millennium Point.
