Relocation sees manufacturer’s productivity soar by 50%

Posted on 6 Jul 2017 by Jonny Williamson

Warwickshire’s Artel Rubber has seen productivity rise by almost 50% thanks to an ambitions £1.4m move, leading to a significant rise in orders and doubling of staff.

Productivity - L to R: Simon Lavin (Artel Rubber), Phil Peak (CWLEP Growth Hub), & Jacques Commeny (Artel Rubber).
L to R: Simon Lavin (Artel Rubber), Phil Peak (CWLEP Growth Hub), & Jacques Commeny (Artel Rubber).

Previously based in three separate units in Bidford-on-Avon, Artel Rubber has now moved to a new purpose-built property on the Springfield Industrial Estate.

The firm manufactures hand-makes thousands of hoses each year for a variety of industries, including rail, automotive and energy, and exports to Europe, Australia, the US and China.

The move was supported by a £100,000 grant from the Regional Growth Fund, managed by Coventry City Council on behalf of Coventry and Warwickshire LEP Growth Hub.

Executive director of Artel Rubber, Simon Lavin explained: “Floorspace has nearly doubled here, but the big benefit is we are on one site which has improved productivity and efficiency.

“As well as that, it’s given us a bigger area where we can recycle waste material, which benefits the environment and has also reduced costs.”

Lavin added: “We wanted to move to the next level and we simply couldn’t have done that without moving to a new home. We have just picked up a new contract in the rail industry overseas and I don’t think we could have gone for it without the move.

“We are now looking at opening further overseas facilities to help us win more work, particularly in the Far East.”

CWLEP Growth Hub’s Phil Peak commented: “When you look at the outcomes that the support has achieved, it really has been very positive for the company and for the local economy.

“They’ve taken on more staff, moved into new premises, they’ve become more productive and are now competing for and winning work on a scale that they couldn’t have done before.”

The Manufacturer Smart Factory Expo

15-16 Nov, 2017 – Exhibition Centre Liverpool

The UK’s biggest showcase for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) – a revolution in manufacturing agility, innovation and thinking.

Highlighting the best solution providers and technology offerings, this unique FREE event is for manufacturing business leaders keen to adopt the relevant tools and knowledge to drive business growth.

New for 2017:

  • Buyer Lounges – matching buyers and sellers
  • Tech Zones – Industrial IoT, Automation & Robotics, Additive Manufacturing, Digital Transformation, and Big Data
  • Solution Theatres – engaging expo attendees with case studies and cutting-edge developments
  • Mentor Clinics – find the answers to your questions
  • Innovation Alley – growing the expo ecosystem with hardware start-ups