Yorkshire manufacturer expanding after export growth

A Sheffield advanced manufacturing company is doubling its workforce and increasing capacity at its premises with an investment of £2 million.

Sheffield Precision Medical (SPM) design and manufacture a comprehensive range of instruments used by orthopaedic surgeons around the world. They have also been invited to China with the Prime Minster David Cameron as Bdaily reported here.

The company is investing over £2 million in extending its Petre Street premises and installing new state of the art machines and systems, with plans to increase their skilled workforce from 27 to 53 employees over the next three years.

Their expansion is in response to the growing export business, which currently accounts for 40% of the company’s £3.5 million turnover, with clients spanning Europe and the United States, and including Depuy, Corin and Biomet.

SPM’s expansion strategy has been supported by Creative Sheffield - a partner in the South Yorkshire Sector Growth Enhancement Programme (SYSGEP). Creative Sheffield is Sheffield City Council’s economic development function, which is committed to boosting business growth in the city.

Support has included assisting the company to secure a Regional Growth Fund (RGF) grant from Sheffield City Region’s Local Enterprise Partnership ‘Unlocking Business Investment’ programme.

Creative Sheffield also assisted the company to develop strategic relationships with the region’s universities, and provided bespoke HR consultancy for the recruitment of graduates and apprentices, with SPM subsequently becoming ambassadors for the city’s RISE initiative.

SPM’s managing director Brian Reece said: “The phenomenal expertise and skills of our design and manufacturing team, coupled with the full use of technology we are investing in, is taking us towards a very exciting future. The support and funding we have received has given us greater stability as we take this major step forward.”

Creative Sheffield’s sector growth manager - healthcare technologies, Philippa Hedley, said: “Sheffield Precision Medical is an ideal example of how the significant advanced materials and manufacturing expertise within Sheffield companies enables them to compete and win business internationally.

“Sheffield Precision Medical provides its global client base with a manufacturing partner capable of providing high-quality, complete surgical instrument solutions, and we are delighted to be supporting their further expansion.

“It is also great to see the company creating new skilled manufacturing jobs in the healthcare technologies industry, for which Sheffield has an ever growing reputation as a centre of international excellence. We hope their success will inspire confidence in others to invest in growth in this sector.”

Brian bought SPM in 2010 after 30 years’ experience of the tool manufacturing industry. Last year the company produced over 50,000 components working in collaboration with designers in client companies to satisfy orders from single prototype to high volume requirements.

SPM’s achievements have been recognised by the wider business community, earning them a number of awards including the 2012 ‘Made In Sheffield’ Entrepreneurial Award and 2012 Medilink Export Achievement Award.

Brian said: “We specialise in offering our customers the complete solution from concept to completion. The jobs we take on are complex and, because we ensure they are delivered to market on time and competitively priced companies come back to us time and time again.

“While work in this area has to an extent been lost to China, we’re proving that by utilising cutting edge technologies to a high degree of efficiency, higher quality and a competitive service can be offered from the UK.”