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Midlands controls manufacturer invests £1m to expand

12 September, 2016

The West Midlands industrial controls and sub-contracting manufacturer, PP Control & Automation, is investing more than £1m in a new extension that will add 1,000m2 of production space to its Cheslyn Hay site, including a new logistics department and a clean assembly area.

Building work has started on the project that will give PP extra capacity to help achieve its target of doubling its turnover to £40m by 2021.

“There was a lot of talk about uncertainty holding back industry after the Brexit vote, but we have confidence – in the medium term – that UK manufacturing in general will be strong and the growth plans of ourselves and our customers remain unchanged,” says managing director, Tony Hague. “In the short term, with sterling weakening against the euro and the US dollar, we have actually seen growth in export markets as UK competitiveness has improved.”

PP, which employs almost 200 people, has benefitted from the outsourcing trend among machine-builders wanting to reduce their lead times, achieve greater flexibility and cut manufacturing costs. The company is recruiting new staff for the expansion, and plans to take on six new apprentices.

Hague: confident about the strength of UK manufacturing

Hague explains that PP also needs the expanded production area to exploit new opportunities in specialist sectors such as scientific equipment and semiconductor processing. “Importantly,” he says, “it gives us the manufacturing footprint required to increase sales by 100% and is a real show of intent when talking with potential clients”.




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