AWI's new directors (l-r) Adam Shaw, Tom Mander, Mark Venables and Andrew Du PlessisWest Midlands-based
Alloy Wire International, one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of round, flat and profile wire has strengthened its senior management team with three key appointments. The company, which celebrates 75 years of manufacturing this year, has promoted Tom Mander, Andrew Du Plessis and Adam Shaw to the roles of managing director designate, technical director and finance director respectively.
The trio will work with the existing senior management team to help the company navigate the next stage of its development, as it looks to maximise a £3 million investment in material, new drawing machines, spooling equipment and office/factory improvements at its facility in Brierley Hill.
AWI has remained open throughout the pandemic, offering its Emergency Manufacturing Service to supply wire to customers supporting the build of Nightingale Hospitals and other Covid-19 efforts globally.
World leader in the supply of exotic alloysAWI managing director Mark Venables said: “We have built an incredible business that is a world leader in the supply of exotic alloys and it is vital that we have a succession plan in place well in advance, so we can build on recent growth and take advantage of new opportunities in both the UK and overseas.
“In Tom, Andrew and Adam we have three experienced professionals who are hungry to carry on the AWI journey and have fantastic skills in their specialist areas of sales, business strategy, finance and technical and quality.
“They will continue to learn from the three existing directors and also be encouraged to bring their own ideas and vision to the table. This is an exciting development for the business and one I hope that all of our staff, partners and customers will support.”
AWI currently supplies in excess of 5,000 customers involved in automotive, aerospace, defence, medical, nuclear, oil and gas and renewables. A 60-strong range of exotic alloys, including Phynox, Inconel and Hastelloy, is available from 0.025mm (.001in) to 21mm (.827in) in small batches or medium/large volume – all within a three-week timeframe.
Strong demand has come from the Far East, Eastern Europe and Australia, with a number of new international sales agents appointed in Russia and Singapore to explore new opportunities.
Tom Mander, managing director designate, concluded: “Despite all of the issues of Covid-19 and Brexit, we maintained strong sales and invested in ensuring we had the right levels of stock, new equipment to increase efficiencies and made plans for innovations to our service.
“These qualities are what makes AWI so special and we want to build on these as we plan for the start of the next 75 years.”