Business News


Sleeping giants press forward


By Jon Griffin


Historic Birmingham-based ‘sleeping giants’ Baker and Finnemore are aiming to quadruple turnover to £20 million following the biggest investment in the engineering firm’s modern history. The company, which began life


as a pen manufacturer in 1849 near St Paul’s Square, are splashing out on a £600,000 power press which promises to generate new orders, widen the customer base and create new toolroom jobs. Baker and Finnemore have been


manufacturing precision metal pressings since 1850 and are today best known as the producer of the Starlock Push-On Fastener, with 500 million made annually at their Newhall Street premises. But now the company stands on


the verge of the biggest transformation in their history dating back to the Victorian era -


thanks to the German-owned group’s new investment in an American 110-tonne power press.


‘This new press is our largest single piece of investment in modern times’


Sales Director Ian Styles said: “We want to reduce dependency on the Starlocks products - we are at the point where we have to increase and improve efficiency. “We are currently at £5 million


turnover but we believe we could be three or four times that. We could be up to £20 million – that is the intention. “We are like a sleeping giant.


Since 2012, we have had £750,000 worth of investment in different areas but this new press is our largest single piece of investment in modern times.


Managing director Paul Watkins-Burke with sales director Ian Styles “People recognise us for the


quality we have got and this new equipment is what we need to keep up with the rest of the industry. “The press has been ordered and


will be operating producing parts by the end of April 2017.” Around 60 per cent of Baker and Finnemore’s turnover is currently export, with tier one and tier two suppliers to the automotive world and other sectors amongst the customer base.


Mr Styles said the advent of the


new 110-tonne press would also potentially create new jobs and new shifts for the current 60-strong workforce.“The more business we get, the more tools we need to manufacture. There is the potential to increase numbers and also potentially increase to three shifts.” The company was bought in


July 2012 by one of its oldest European customers, Titgemeyer of Osnabruck.


Lab helps tech firms to soar


A newly launched project aimed at giving Birmingham’s fledgling hi-tech businesses a helping hand is already proving a huge success. The project is ‘Eagle Lab,’ a ‘business incubator’ based


at Innovation Birmingham’s new iCentrum building. The facility is being backed by a number of partner


organisations, one of which is Barclays. The bank is working alongside Npower, Centro, Catapult Transport Systems and Digital Health, an NHS funded West Midlands academic health sciences network. The Eagle Lab provides both the physical tools and


Ray O’Donoghue: hi-tech helping hand


expertise to allow early-stage and established entrepreneurs to flourish. Among the tools the Eagle Lab includes are 3D printers, digital cutting equipment, state-of-the-art connectivity and rapid prototyping equipment.


The expertise on offer includes mentoring and


coaching, from the facility’s entrepreneurs in residence. The initial target was to support ten businesses, but


just six months on from the opening, the Lab is already supporting 14 firms. The intention now is to expand the support to 20 businesses. Barclays Midland’s managing director Ray O’Donoghue said: “We have deliberately chosen this site to enhance our offering and support for high growth and entrepreneurial businesses within the Midlands.


“Birmingham has been acknowledged as the second


most entrepreneurial city in the UK for the last two years and we want to support and make life easier for these budding entrepreneurs throughout their journey and beyond.”


M: 07947 182 703 E: onenationagency@hotmail.co.uk W: www.1NationMedia.com


1Nation Media have been running successfully for 16 years with the experience of Public Relations, Marketing and Promotions within the Music and corporate Field.


2015 1Nation Media won an award from MACAA with the recognition of outstanding work within the community for the small businesses, charity events and promoting new talent within the music industry. Jagruti Duggal the founder of the company has worked hard to still continue her company running where not only does she promote but also covers events by attending to take photographs and film giving the extra exposure.


To get your business to the public and to be recognised nationally please contact 1Nation Media.


September 2016 CHAMBERLINK 13


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