Barnsley manufacturer flying high after winning jet fighter contract

A Barnsley manufacturer has secured a new contract to supply specialist parts for jet fighters.

This deal is the latest contract for Oracle Precision, which was set up six years ago by Ryan Taylor and Shaun Palmer.

Ryan and Shaun had both worked in medical manufacturing and been victims of downturns in business during recessions. They set up Oracle Precision with a policy of manufacturing highly specialised parts across sectors such as rail, medical and aerospace.

The company, which now employs 16 at its Shortwood Business Park factory, is also searching for bigger premises.

Ryan said: “The latest contract runs for circa five years and will see the team manufacture components for missiles used by jet fighter planes around the world. It is a world away from more recent work that included medical drills and parts that improved rail safety.

“Our DNA is that we look for better solutions for customer’s problems through innovation. We have built up a reputation of adding value by suggesting innovations in manufacturing that improve efficiency for our customers.

“Customers ask us to make things and we will suggest they try doing things differently. It can be a leap of faith because you don’t know if it will work until you have invested time and money, but in recent years we have been able to reclaim that investment back through the R&D tax credit scheme.

“It enables us to invest the time, raw materials and energy in experimentation that might not work. If it does, both our customers and ourselves benefit, but significantly our risk is rewarded by the R&D tax credit scheme.”

Jumpstart, the R&D tax credits specialist, helped Oracle Precision with its reclaims.

Ryan added: “We didn’t think we were eligible. After all we make things, that’s our business. Jumpstart made us understand that the technical complexities and risks we were taking would attract R&D tax credits.

“They analysed all our work, examined the level of technical uncertainty and prepared a comprehensive dossier for HMRC. We don’t have the time or knowledge to make comprehensive claims and the cash they win back for us is reinvested straight back into the business. It has allowed us to employ apprentices and buy new machinery.”

Nicole Ballantyne, Jumpstart business development manager for Yorkshire, said: “Oracle Precision is testament to the engineering and innovation skills we have in Yorkshire. Many pioneering companies like Oracle Precision believe their experimentation is run of the mill.

“It isn’t and it attracts valuable R&D tax credits they can plough back into their businesses. Jumpstart can unravel the minutiae so that they present a robust claim that truly reflects their client’s investment.”

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