Major new orders in the aerospace, petrochemical and nuclear sectors have helped a Black Country manufacturer to break the £10 million barrier for the first time in its 72-year history.

Alloy Wire International (AWI), which supplies more than 60 different ‘high performance’ alloys, has seen its sales increase by £3 million since 2016; it puts the sustained expansion down to the growing demand for its emergency manufacturing service, plus its ability to offer three-week lead times.

The company has also invested heavily in its stock, with 200 tonnes now available at any one time — the largest holding it has ever held.

Managing director Mark Venables said: “The recovery in oil and gas has certainly been one of the highlights of recent months, and interest in our material has come from every corner of the globe. I think at the last count we were exporting to 55 countries.

“In order to cope with the increase in volumes, we have taken on three new people in sales and in the dry-drawing department, while investment in bespoke machinery and an ever-growing international list of sales offices gives us an ideal platform to grow sales further at our sites in Brierley Hill and Yorkshire.”

Alloy Wire International (www.alloywire.com) makes round, flat and shaped wire in a range of materials that is growing by the month, with more than 60 currently available to choose from.

The company recently launched its ‘Wire Finder App’, as part of a marketing drive to help customers find the right wire for their applications.