Redditch-based Samuel Taylor Ltd (STL), a metal contacts and precision metal pressings specialist, has announced investments totalling over £500,000 in new machinery and factory space.

This is part of a focused effort to increase the company’s capacity and efficiency; it includes the purchase of a forming machine, an 80-tonne press and an image dimension measuring system (IDMS). The company has also taken on another 500m² of factory space.

STL sales manager Carl Siviter said: “The business has a track record of making investments to ensure that we remain globally competitive. This mind-set led us to invest in a new forming machine — complete with tapping, feeder and automatic controls — and an additional Chin Fong press.

“We operate in a global market-place with a diverse customer base, and this level of investment will provide both extra manufacturing capacity and flexibility, as some new projects move forward into mass production.”

The company (www.samueltaylor.co.uk) manufactures custom-made electrical contacts, using the latest technologies in bi-metal bonding, precision stamping and assembling (supported by in-house design and tool-making teams.

It recently became one of the first manufacturers in the UK to achieve the ISO 45001 accreditation, demonstrating its on-going commitment to maintaining a world-class safe working environment.

Mr Siviter said: “The additional production capacity needs better and faster quality assurance tools to maximise the investment payback, so we have invested in our first Keyence IDMS.

“We can now perform high-precision measurements more quickly, automatically record data and generate reports with the push of a button.”