Shropshire company is setting benchmark
Work done by a Shropshire manufacturer is to become a template for other parts of its multi-national group after business leaders from across the globe visited its factory.
Denios UK in Newport manufactures storage facilities for hazardous waste materials, and is part of a larger group of companies based in Germany.
Other members of the group, including visitors from Germany, Italy, France, the Czech Republic and the USA, plus a representative from Telford & Wrekin Council, headed for Newport to look at how the British company is developing products and increasing sales.
"It's about sharing processes in terms of production," said UK managing director Steve Hogan.
"We all need to do things differently in production, in anything from the way we design cabinets to the drawings or materials we use.
"We are growing at the moment, year-on-year. Last year was 17 per cent, and this year is about 16 per cent.
"We have 26 staff at the moment and with the aggressive forecast and positive mood within the industry we can only see our order book growing and with that the business. We anticipate doubling our turnover in the next few years and the workforce will have to follow that."
The company has spent the last two years overhauling processes in its Audley Avenue factory, and has invested in new machinery and products to continue that.
Among the new items brought online is a fireproof waste storage unit which can hold flames either in or out as needed for more than two hours, and which is undergoing testing to meet EU regulations.
The changes have helped the UK arm of the multinational company to increase its turnover from £2.3 million to £4.4 million in the space of three years.
In total, the company employs more than 600 people, and has sales of more than £130 million,
It has also brought its supply chain much closer to home by working with Shropshire-based businesses to bring down the time it takes to provide materials for the manufacturing process.
Mr Hogan added: "One of the biggest benefits these guys are seeing is in the way we are buying locally – in one of the cabinets we are buying a system that takes five days locally, but would take five weeks coming in from Germany. We have come a long way in this factory in the last two years."
Benedikt Boucke, the chief operating officer of the Denios Group, was among those who visited the factory.
He said: "In fire protection, the UK is not high on the list of countries for its requirements on that front, but I am sure it will come.
"It's an area that is growing significantly, and I believe this will ultimately give a growth push to Steve and his team. The market is there and it is growing globally.
The company has also reconfigured its Newport factory to allow it to include training facilities for customers.
Mr Hogan added: "Every business large or small should be aware of the risks and hazards when working with chemicals and we aim to provide our customers with the overall safety solution."
