[09
MAR 01] COVENTRY
CENTRE FOR INVESTMENT NEWS
New Factory Needed To Toast Euro Success
One
of Coventry's European success stories has had to take on new staff
and open a bigger factory after winning a big contract.
AST
(Advanced Surface Treatments) Ltd, which specialises in providing
electroplating to the automotive industry, has been chosen by AP
Hydraulics to manage its metal finishing requirements.
The
company has moved in to a new factory adjacent to its existing
facilities and installed two new computer controlled electroplating
plants.
CLLR SHEILA
COLLINS, RICHARD HEGINBOTHAM OF CCfI AND AST GENERAL MANAGER OLIVE
LINDSEY
Based
at two sites just off Deedmore Road in Wood End, AST is now the
largest sub-contracting plating company of its type in Europe and has
taken on six new employees to cope with the new 24-hour operation.
The
contract win follows AST's participation in the Improvement Action
Network programme, which is run by Coventry City Council's Centre for
Investment (CCfI) and involves a number of companies in the city
sharing best practice in the workplace.
Olive
Lindsey, general manager at AST, said the partnership with CCfI had
helped the company, as well as individual employees, to establish new
relationships with other partners throughout the city.
She
said:
"We
were introduced to a number of like minded companies with the
intention of sharing ideas and best practice in order to improve
various aspects of our own business.
"The
early results have far exceeded expectation and we are delighted
with the way the business is operating at the moment."
She
added that the business had continued to grow thanks to investment in
new facilities and personnel.
"A
huge amount of money - £1.5 million - has been invested in AST and
as a result we have seen turnover increase by almost 50 per cent
this year.
"Plans
are in place to continue growing the business and we are looking at
the possibility of setting up another plant in the very near future.
"The
second factory has already increased our capacity enormously and we
will be able to grow the workforce by a further 25 per cent",
she added.
The
company held an open day to celebrate the good news, which was
attended by Lord Mayor Cllr Sheila Collins.
After
touring the new premises and seeing the zinc alloy finisher in action,
she said:
"It's
great to see so many companies in the city working together and
making such an impact locally and as far afield as Europe.
"We
are committed to seeing local companies grow and take on more people
and it's great to see such a success story, proving that our
initiatives are making a real and positive difference.
"One
of the most impressive aspects is that automation at AST has
increased employment - an area which traditionally reduces labour
levels."
Richard
Heginbotham, manufacturing excellence officer at CCfI, said that the
Improvement Action Network was one of the most popular services on
offer to companies.
He
added:
"This
programme is specially designed to match up the expertise of
different businesses with other companies in the city.
“The
aim is for businesses throughout Coventry and Warwickshire to share
their knowledge, resulting in individual and overall success for the
region."
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