A long-established family-run engineering firm in Warwickshire is gearing up for a significant phase of growth after receiving extensive support from a leading regional business organisation.
Henley Engineers, founded in 1942, has worked closely with
Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub to modernise its operations, upgrade its digital infrastructure and identify new market opportunities, including a strategic move into the military supply chain.
The company, which manufactures and fabricates detailed components for the commercial vehicle sector, employs 30 staff across its Henley-in-Arden site and a second facility in Redditch for larger components. With an annual turnover of £2.5 million, Henley Engineers is now positioning itself for diversification and scaling up.
Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub account manager Nina Bale has supported senior business development manager Mike Beirns in accessing guidance, specialist introductions and grant opportunities to accelerate the firm’s plans. This includes a successful application to
Made Smarter West Midlands, securing a £20,000 grant towards a £70,000 investment in a new ERP and CRM system designed to bring procurement, sales, marketing and operations onto one platform. The system has already transformed internal processes by reducing the time taken from raising a purchase order to starting work on the shopfloor from three days to just 20min.
Further support from
Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) has helped upgrade IT infrastructure and digital manufacturing processes following an expert review of the company’s equipment and workflow.
Nina Bale said: “Nick, Mike and the team at Henley Engineers are a great example of how a business can use Growth Hub support at every stage of their journey. Our work is not just about grants, it is about networking, introductions and connecting businesses to the right partners at exactly the right time. Henley Engineers has embraced this fully, and its progress reflects the power of collaborative regional support.”
Major stepsThe company is also taking major steps towards automation, including investing in its first robotic welding arm following specialist training at
Cyber-Weld in Southam, and is exploring the deployment of a cobot capable of learning repeat welding tasks. Barcoding is being implemented across the full production process to support further efficiency.
Managing director Nick Warmington joined Henley Engineers as a 16-year-old engineering apprentice before becoming the fourth generation to lead the company. He said: “We are pitching the business to the military supply chain and meeting the standards needed for that sector. The support from the Growth Hub and its partners has been critical in helping us prepare the business for this next step. Digitalising our processes, investing in automation and improving workflow has completely changed the culture of the business. We are now more efficient, more productive and better positioned for growth.”
Henley Engineers is also strengthening its future workforce pipeline. The firm plans to recruit two new fabrication welding apprentices next September and is meeting with Stratford College and Coventry College. The business is finalising a new website, installing solar panels to improve its carbon footprint and continuing to refine its factory layout and workflow with support from regional partners.
Mr Warmington concluded: “This has traditionally been a functional fabrication business. With the help of the Growth Hub, we are now thinking strategically about how every investment improves flow, efficiency and long-term capability — 2026 is shaping up to be an exciting year for us.”