Sheffield-based CW Fletcher, a precision engineering company, has signed a record £160 million long-term contract with Rolls-Royce plc.

The deal, the most valuable secured by the company in its 126-year history, will see it supply aircraft engine fabrications for the next ten years.

The company supplies a wide range of industries, including aerospace, nuclear and space exploration.

Managing director Steve Kirk said: “This is hugely significant for every one of us at CW Fletcher and represents many months of work at both companies. The contract forms a key part of our growth strategy which will also see the start of our new facility in Sheffield to add a further 2,000m² of manufacturing space and secure the future of our 200-strong workforce.

“We are confident that the future is bright for advanced manufacturing in Sheffield.”

Ian Oliver, strategic buyer at Rolls-Royce, said: “Rolls-Royce is pleased to secure this deal with CW Fletcher, which builds on the previous 70-years plus relationship.

“CW Fletcher is an important supplier to Rolls-Royce and the deal helps secure the long-term relationship between the companies.”

The Sheffield precision engineering company can supply machined fabrications, in ordinary and exotic metallic materials, up to 2m in diameter.

Its modern ‘Sterling Works’ facility contains five-axis milling, CNC turning, heat-treatment, pressing, sheet-metal work, non-destructive testing and a range of welding techniques.

Business development manager Richard Phillips said: “We have been gradually building our reputation across these market sectors to the point where our customers are now saying that we are the go-to company for machined fabrications in the UK.”

CW Fletcher has a strategy for sustained growth based on being one of the first companies selected for the UK’s flagship Sharing in Growth (SiG) competitiveness improvement programme which focuses on leadership, culture and operational capability delivered by SiG’s own 100-strong team of business coaches as well as a bank of world-leading experts including the University of Cambridge’s Institute for Manufacturing, Deloitte and the National Physical Laboratory.

Set up by industry in 2012, Sharing in Growth is endorsed by Airbus, BAE Systems, Boeing, Bombardier, GE, GKN, Leonardo, Lockheed Martin, MBDA, Rolls-Royce, Safran and Thales because it is helping the UK advanced manufacturing supply chain to become more competitive and win a larger share of global aerospace contracts, typically by addressing a 20% cost gap and targeting 50% productivity improvement.

Sharing in Growth’s CEO Andy Page said: “We are thrilled with CW Fletcher’s well-deserved success.

“It is testament to the effectiveness of SiG and we’d encourage other ambitious companies to follow CW Fletcher onto our programme.

“As an industry-led programme our aim is to deliver sustainable business growth in the advanced manufacturing sector based on investing in people and processes to drive up productivity and competitiveness.”