Brierley Hill-based Alloy Wire International (AWI) (www.alloywire.com), which employs 28 people at two factories, has spent more than £150,000 on new machinery to give its customers access to wider and thinner wire (and wire with bigger cross-sections) in more than 60 different alloys.

This decision followed a major customer research exercise and has already proved successful, with new orders worth more than £125,000 secured.

AWI sales director Angus Hogarth says: “We are continually talking to our clients and finding out what would make their lives easier.

“One of the main points they kept coming back on was being able to buy flat and shaped profiles in a wider variety of sizes — especially in bigger profiles.

“We listened and decided to commission a bespoke machine that could deliver just that, and we are already seeing significant orders that we would not have won before. Customers like the fact that they can order in small quantities — starting from 10m — and that delivery is within four weeks to any part of the world.”

“AWI makes round, flat, shaped-profile and electrical-resistance wires in a range of materials that is growing by the month. “Our profiles are used for everything from aircraft-engine retaining rings to architectural grilles, while some of our spring-making customers use our wider flat wire for stamping out parts.

“Quality is crucial to everything we do, and our technical and inspection departments ensure that our clients receive the very best product. In order to keep up with enquiries from the aerospace and defence sector, we have secured AS9100 accreditation.”