A Black Country precision-engineering company says that it is seeing the benefits of an investment programme after winning new contracts in the automotive and aerospace sectors for parts for automation equipment.

A&M EDM, which has 58 staff at its two sites in Smethwick, is looking towards a turnover of £5 million for the first time in its 15-year history after a management decision to develop high-value and high-performance components, including engines for unmanned vehicles.

Support from the Government-run Manufacturing Growth Programme (MGP) has also helped it to identify improvements in its marketing activity, strategy and the implementation of a new environmental system that will lead to ISO:14001 accreditation.

Managing director Mark Wingfield said: “We’ve come a long way since I started the business, with just two people and a few machines.

“Over the past 15 years, we have grown into the UK’s largest commercial EDM wire- and spark-erosion specialist — an achievement that we have built on by adding CNC machining and tool-making design and manufacturing services.

“We need to secure the ISO:14001 environmental accreditation in order to tender for larger contracts with the likes of Jaguar Land Rover, Rolls-Royce and Marston Aerospace.”

Helen Fortune, manufacturing-growth manager at MGP, said: “A&M EDM is an innovative, cutting-edge business that is keen to seek external assistance to help it get even better and unlock growth.

“We have identified a number of areas it could improve on, and the management team and workforce have embraced them, developing and rolling out a robust environmental-management system in just a few months.

“The next stage in the plan is to develop a digital marketing strategy, which will see the MGP working with A&M to visually convey its precision engineering credentials to new customers.”