Design and development business, MarchantCain has expanded its operations into Germany off-the-back of winning five new major OEM automotive projects.
The firm has appointed a new head of business development and sales for Germany to join the team it already has in the UK.
The appointment comes at a time when MarchantCain has also grown its development team with the addition of two new design engineers.
The appointment means that the business has doubled its headcount over the past three months, after tripling its turnover and profitability over the last year.
The business has reported consistent growth since 2010 thanks to growing global demand for its innovative engineering solutions.
Managing director of MarchantCain, and one of the first engineering designers in the country to be awarded Chartered Technological Product Designer (CTPD) status last year, Rob Marchant commented: “We are receiving numerous requests from large OEMs for new, innovative concepts that are we are designing for the niche vehicle sector as engineers start to build faster, lighter and more aerodynamic vehicles.
“By having a presence in Germany this year and expanding our base in the UK, we are well placed to expand into Europe over the next 12 months and globally over the next three years.”
MarchantCain already works with such OEM manufacturers as Porsche, Bentley and JLR, and recently unveiled a new active aerodynamic engine cover to aid with engine cooling and heating for niche vehicles.
According to the business, unlike other engine covers on the market, a key aspect of the brief was to balance performance with appearance to ensure that it’s in keeping with the attractive design of many sports cars on the market today.
It’s this balance between appearance and functionality that automotive manufacturers are starting to crave, helping to fuel growth for MarchantCain, which has experience of finding innovative solutions for engineering design challenges for multiple markets.
The latest quarterly EEF Manufacturing Outlook for 2015 showed that optimism and confidence for manufacturing in the UK had declined, but the automotive industry was one of the most positive sectors, which has largely been down to this sector leading the way on innovation.
Marchant added: “I think our own success shows the way the automotive industry is heading. Companies in this sector are striving for greater innovation. We’ve seen this in hybrid and driverless cars and the future of car manufacturing is an exciting prospect.
“We specialise in helping automotive OEMs make small improvements to their vehicle designs, which make a big difference in overall performance and as the market becomes more innovative, we are predicting even greater demand for our services.”
