Export growth leads to Queen’s Award and relocation for CSS Group

James Head (pictured above right) with XYZ Machine Tools’ managing director Nigel Atherton at the front of ‘XYZ Alley’ in the new CSS Group factory

Paignton-based Casting Support Systems Group (CSS) is having a year to remember with a visit to Buckingham Palace to collect a Queen’s Award for Enterprise for its export achievements and the relocation to a brand-new, purpose-built, 60,000ft² factory.

CSS Group company Investment Casting Systems Ltd was the actual recipient of the Queen’s Award. This was achieved following three exceptional years of export growth in the design and manufacture of mould and associated tooling for the composites industry, with the aerospace sector in the USA accounting for much of that increase in business.

Between 2018 and 2021 exports rose from £267,000 to £1.7 million; this increase along with plans to double Group turnover within the next five years, prompted the relocation to the new facility; it is over the road from the old factory that had simply become too small for the rapidly expanding business.

Group chairman and company founder Ted Head (pictured right with James and the award) said: “This prestigious award and our need to relocate is testament to the efforts of everyone involved at the company, not just over the past few years but throughout our 40-year history.”

The relocation will see each of the three group companies sharing the available space with the toolmaking side of the business the main beneficiary of the expansion. With recent investment in new machining technology the move involved relocating six machining centres supplied by Burlescombe-based XYZ Machine Tools.

It was estimated by CSS managing director James Head that it would take three days per machine to complete the move. However, a concerted effort from XYZ’s machine movers and service engineers saw all six machines back in production, including laser calibration to within 6µm/m, within seven days.

Mr Head said: “It was an incredible effort by everyone concerned and as a result of the prompt and efficient service, what we are now calling ‘XYZ Alley’ was back machining components in a very quick time frame.”

The future is extremely positive for CSS Group, with the forward order book for its toolmaking division looking strong. Further growth is predicted from the aerospace, power generation and other industry sectors.