Bridgnorth-based sand casting specialist Grainger & Worrall won the Manufacturer of the Year award for companies with a turnover over £25 million at the Insider Made in the Midlands Awards (held last month in Birmingham).

Director James Grainger said (www.gwcast.com): “This was a special night for all the employees at Grainger & Worrall, who have worked so hard to create a successful and innovative company.

"The Midlands is at the heart of British manufacturing, and our advanced casting techniques mean that we can help vehicle manufacturers to develop strong and light castings for the next generation of vehicles.”

The company has collaborated with many well-known names in the automotive sector as well as motor-sport, where its exacting standards, speed of response and small batch production are well suited to changes in specification and
short lead times.

Mr Grainger added: “Our techniques mean we have grown considerably over the past five years, with a 64% increase in turnover.

“This is great news for jobs and prosperity in Bridgnorth.

“We are recruiting and training new people, and skills lie at the heart of the services and technology that we provide, so our people are very important to us.”

The Made in the Midlands Awards received a record number of entries for the second consecutive year.

The event, which puts Midlands manufacturing prowess in the spotlight, has 10 categories.

Joshua Lambden, a third-year apprentice at Birmingham-based HydraForce Hydraulics Ltd (www.hydraforce.com), was named as the Made in the Midlands Apprentice of the Year for 2019.