R&D boost to push engineering tech firm past £20m turnover

ENGINEERING tech firm Lambert is on track to surpass £20m in turnover for the first time in its 42-year history.

The Tadcaster-based firm which supplies automated systems and precision components to the engineering sector is also making major investments as it continues to see overseas growth.

£200,000 will be spent on employing four engineers who will travel worldwide to test for quality assurance, delivering production improvements for Asia, European and American clients.

“We’ve always had people to offer this, but felt the time is right now to expand our capabilities and offer that extra level of service through a dedicated team,” explained managing director Warren Limbert.

“Some of the emerging markets don’t have the technical skills we possess and this can mean the original effectiveness of equipment can drop over time. “Our response has been to be invest in our team so that they can proactively maintain complex automation systems to ensure they continue to operate at performance levels beyond our customers’ expectations.

“This is a long-term business decision that we know will pay dividends in continuing our key relationships and deliver repeat business.”

Prior to this, the firm invested £250,000 in an Innovation Centre to explore new technology and R&D avenues.

New contracts in recent years have seen the firm grow from £10m in 2010 to £19.9m in 2014.

Backed by a long-standing relationship with the Business Growth Service, the company has also been able to create 75 jobs during this period and now exports total 70% of its output.

The Business Growth Service, which incorporates the Manufacturing Advisory Service and GrowthAccelerator, has played a significant role in Lambert’s growth over the last seven years.

Manufacturing expert David Whiteley from the Business Growth Service works with the firm as a consultant.

Mr Limbert said: “Since working with MAS and the Business Growth Service, we have grown 120% and I have to say the assistance has been second to none,” explained Warren, who took over the reins in 2007.

“Our Business Growth manager has been with us throughout, taking the time to understand our business, the challenges we face and what we need to do to overcome them.”

Business Growth Service’s David Whiteley concluded: “I’m delighted to see how far Lambert has come as a company. It has always been a firm that thrives on innovation and doing things well, but the last five years has seen it become a truly global player.

“Importantly, the management team has not stopped there. Instead, it has focused on continuous improvement and taking the next steps to ensure it leads its rivals rather than just competes with them.

“Every now and again, we’ve been the extra support it has needed to overcome hurdles…a fantastic example of how expert assistance and funding can make a big difference to a growing SME.”

Lambert, which employs 8 apprentices out of its 183-strong workforce, has capped an exciting year by being named finalists in seven categories at the prestigious Manufacturer MX Awards.