Suffolk-based Rockford’s (www.rockford.co.uk) exports have increased by over 160% in the last two years; as a result, it has entered the Sunday Times SME Export Track 100 in ninth position.

The family-owned company’s success has come from joining Sharing in Growth (SiG), the Government-backed programme to increase the competitiveness of the UK aerospace supply chain.

Rockford, which also has plants in Nottinghamshire and Wiltshire, was chosen for the SiG programme in 2014, when its
annual turnover had plateaued.

Today, the company is the UK’s largest independent provider of wiring, interconnect and system solutions for the aerospace, defence and industrial markets, with exports of £6.5 million and total sales of £16.1 million.

With the support of SiG, Rockford has changed its culture, invested in business and staff development and delivered an operational performance in line with world-class best practice.

As a result, it has secured contracts worth almost £50 million, created 100 new jobs and increased its exports to more than 50% of production.

It is currently recruiting for a range of positions to cope with its increased sales.

Last year Rockford launched a new system solutions capability, where it works with its suppliers to provide full systems, rather than just cable assemblies or wire harnesses.

This helped the company to win a multi-million-pound contract (for aircraft panels) from a world-leading manufacturer of military aircraft.

The company’s new strategy also includes additional investment in a concept called Future Factory in its Worksop facility, which could boost its annual sales and potentially lead to another 60 new jobs.