The company, which employs 27 people at its Gawne Lane site in Cradley Heath, west of Birmingham, unveiled its new capabilities, with the management team signaling its intentions to reach £5m annual sales by the end of the year.
Backed by the Regional Growth Fund and Sandwell Council, the investment was celebrated at an event featuring Mike Lyons (HS2 programme director), Rachel Eade (Business Growth Service) and a mix of customers and suppliers.
Delegates heard how the new facility will be air conditioned, sound proofed and features a 70cwt hammer suite capable of producing forged parts up to 75kg, 25kg bigger than its previous best.
Kimber Drop Forgings will also employ five new people to make the most of the new capacity, with a number of these expected to be apprentices.
"You don't hear about many new forges being built in the UK, so we're delighted to put our sector on the map with this sizeable investment," explained Larry Joyce, group chairman.
"Like many businesses we had a tough time during the recession of 2009 and had to make decisions that didn't come easy. However, we managed to battle through it and have now got to the stage where turnover has hit £4m, a slight increase on what we were doing before the global dip."
Established in 1946, Kimber Drop Forgings offers forgings and machined parts in steel, stainless steel, carbon, aluminium and super duplex. The firm currently exports 20% of its annual turnover to customers in Canada, Dubai, Europe, Malaysia and the United States.
The picture shows Geoff Turnbull (left) and Larry Joyce of Kimber Drop Forgings.
