Thos C Wild, established in 1929, produces forged rings for critical applications – from deep sea pipelines to jet engines and rockets – at its Sheffield factory. With the backing of HSBC UK, the business has upgraded its 50,000 sq ft operation by purchasing a multi-million pound German-made automated punch press, allowing the manufacturer to scale up production by 70% and reduce waste.
The new machine is just the latest strategic investment Thos C Wild has made over the last twelve years as it strives to compete with manufacturers in Asia. In 2016, the business utilised funding from HSBC UK to purchase various specialist forge and furnace machinery, as well as three new buildings to house its extended production facilities.
Thos C Wild anticipates that the upgraded production facilities will boost turnover by 20% in the next 24 months alone.
John Hancock, managing director of Thos C Wild, said: “We operate on a global stage supplying some of the world’s largest engineering groups. It is critical that we keep striving to employ the best talent and invest in our production facilities to remain a leader in an intensely competitive marketplace. HSBC UK’s funding gave us the means and confidence to make this significant investment into the future of our business.”
Lee Manterfield, corporate director for South & East Yorkshire, HSBC UK, added: “Sheffield has a proud history of steel manufacturing so we’re immensely proud to support a market leading and long-established forge in the heart of the Steel City. John and his team have considerable experience and knowledge of their markets and are not afraid to make strategic investments to drive productivity and competitiveness. We look forward to seeing the business continue to flourish.”
