Left to right: Michelle Connor (Warwickshire Manufacturing Growth Programme), Adam Land (Technoset), Councillor Martin Watson (Warwickshire County Council) and Councillor Louise Robinson (Rugby Borough Council)A precision engineering specialist has completed a £650,000 investment drive to boost efficiency and create a new inspection department.
Technoset Ltd, which employs 27 people at its factory in Rugby, attended a
Warwickshire Manufacturing Growth Programme lean workshop and as a result has created a more streamlined process flow and a world-class production and inspection cell.
Two new Star SL 10 sliding head lathes along with two new Mitutoyo Crysta-Apex coordinate measuring machines are now providing greater control and traceability for customers involved in motorsport, aerospace and consumer electronics.
Adam Land, who recently took over as managing director of Technoset, said: “We are always looking at ways where we can improve our manufacturing performance and being able to discuss and learn about different best practice approaches at the lean workshop was really useful. It crystalised our thinking and gave us the confidence to continue with our £650,000 investment drive throughout the last 12 months, which introduced two new CNC sliding head lathes into the production department and a completely new inspection facility, as well as a general rejig of the factory floor.
“A host of new projects. supporting new sectors such as hydrogen, ‘green’ energy, communications and high-performance automotive, have already kicked off and there are lots of future new opportunities in the pipeline.”
Technoset Ltd, which is part of the Techno Group, is renowned for manufacturing high-precision components, including turned parts from 0.4 to 66mm and milled components up to 800 x 400mm. It works with a wide range of materials, including exotic alloys, ranging from brass, copper and general engineering steels to Inconel and titanium.
Strong presenceOver the last few years, the company has continued to build on its strong presence in aerospace, as well as diversifying into supplying customers in medical and telecommunications and the emerging spaces of green energy and hydrogen. Despite tough market conditions, Technoset has posted £3 million in annual sales, with new additional capacity and recently installed production and inspection capabilities helping to support further expansion over the coming years.
Michelle Connor, programme manager for the Warwickshire Manufacturing Growth Programme (WMGP), said: “This is a fantastic example of the difference we can make to manufacturers, working with Adam and the management team to identify potential barriers to growth and then giving them access to support that helps them overcome the challenges.
“The Lean workshop was a real ‘Eureka’ moment and provided the opportunity to take a step away from day-to-day pressures and look at improvement projects that make a real difference. Investment in the factory reorganisation and new capital equipment will safeguard existing contracts and give it the platform to attack new markets.”
The WMGP, which is delivered by
Oxford Innovation Advice, has already supported over 140 local companies to unlock barriers to growth through one-on-one coaching, consultancy, workshops and webinars, and signposting to other local schemes. Backed by funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), the specialist support is available until March 2025 and there is still scope to assist more manufacturing firms across North Warwickshire, Nuneaton and Bedworth, Rugby, Stratford-upon-Avon and Warwick.
Councillor Louise Robinson, Rugby Borough Council portfolio holder for growth, investment, digital and communications, concluded: “It is great to see how Technoset is innovating, collaborating, and leveraging the support available to ensure it keeps pace with change and continues to meet customer needs. Rugby has a strong manufacturing heritage, and this company is part of that and will ensure we have effective local supply chains to feed other businesses into the future.”