LIGHTING
R
owan Precision is putting responsible investment into practice at its Birmingham manufacturing facility, with an LED lighting upgrade transforming the production environment as part of a wider programme to improve energy efficiency, operational resilience and long-term sustainability.
The precision engineering specialist has installed LED lighting throughout much of the facility, creating brighter, more consistent illumination around its CNC machining operations while improving the site’s energy efficiency. The upgrade forms part of a programme encompassing solar PV, Automated Monitoring & Targeting technology and a modern energy-efficient compressor. For CFO Glenn Aston, it demonstrates how sustainability investment can deliver environmental, operational and commercial benefits. “The difference the new lighting has made across the shop floor is immediately visible,” says Aston. “It has transformed the manufacturing environment, giving us brighter and more consistent illumination across production areas while using energy considerably more efficiently. “That is what we mean when we talk about responsible investment. We are investing in areas that make Rowan Precision a more efficient business, create an excellent environment for our people and strengthen the operation we provide for customers.” Technical sales manager Neil Williams believes the improved environment matters to visiting customers and partners.
“For a precision engineering company, visibility and attention to detail naturally go together. We manufacture high-specification components where quality and consistency are fundamental, so creating the right environment around that work is important.” The energy efficiency programme was developed over two years and accelerated during 2025. Working with Oxford Innovation through the Future Fit Manufacturing programme, Rowan Precision developed a structured approach to energy reduction before collaborating with energy specialist Nersi Salehi of ProEnviro Limited on a detailed assessment of the Birmingham facility.
This identified four priority investments: LED lighting, an Automated Monitoring & Targeting system, solar PV and an upgraded energy- efficient compressor. Together, these measures are projected to reduce annual energy consumption by more than 104,000 kWh, delivering an estimated annual carbon saving of 23.63 tonnes of CO₂e. Grant approval secured in December 2025 helped Rowan Precision move quickly into implementation, supported by specialist partners including Ryan Goodswen Electrical Ltd, Custom Energy Solutions, SRC Northwest and West Midlands Compressors.
The solar PV installation generated 6,458kWh of clean electricity between mid-February and the end of March 2026 alone, avoiding approximately 1.14 tonnes of CO₂e. The Automated Monitoring & Targeting system provides visibility over energy consumption, helping the company understand usage patterns, identify further efficiencies and measure improvements over time.
“Sustainability becomes particularly powerful when you can measure it,” Aston says. “The investment gives us the infrastructure to reduce consumption, while monitoring gives us the information to understand performance and continue improving.”
The programme also has relevance for Rowan Precision’s work in aerospace and other high- specification industries. As an AS9100-accredited precision engineering business, it operates within supply chains where process control, traceability, reliability and long-term planning are important to supplier relationships. Sustainability is increasingly joining these considerations as major manufacturers examine their suppliers’ environmental performance and resilience. “Our customers are looking at the long term,”
22 SUMMER/AUTUMN 2026 | INDUSTRIAL COMPLIANCE
LIGHTING THE WAY TO SUSTAINABILITY
Williams says. “They want capable manufacturing partners with robust systems, strong quality standards and a clear approach to investment. Increasingly, sustainability forms part of that wider conversation.” For Rowan Precision, the benefits extend beyond individual energy-saving projects. Greater efficiency supports control over operating costs, modern infrastructure supports production reliability, on-site generation provides another energy source and monitoring informs future investment. Alongside continued investment in precision machining capability, the measures support a manufacturing business equipped for the future.
Aston adds: “There is a clear connection between sustainability, efficiency and resilience. “Every improvement we make to the way we consume and manage energy strengthens the operation. It gives us greater visibility, greater efficiency and a stronger platform from which to plan future investment.”
The approach reflects the demands on manufacturers to support productivity, improve working conditions, control costs and meet customers’ environmental expectations. The lighting is the most visible element of a broader strategy, with solar generation, smarter monitoring and upgraded equipment delivering practical improvements across the company’s Birmingham manufacturing operation.
Williams concludes: “You can see the investment throughout the factory, but more importantly it represents the direction in which the business is moving: modern manufacturing, responsible investment, continuous improvement and long-term partnerships.”
Rowan Precision
www.rowanprecision.co.uk
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