Birkenhead-based Heaps posted a record pre-tax profit of some £453,000 – up from £403,000 in 2017/2018. Turnover rose six percent from £8.8 million to £9.4 million in a year that saw Heaps secure export contracts in emerging markets across Asia.
The firm invested in a raft of new technologies that drive efficiencies across the business including product barcoding which has driven the growth in profits.
Heaps is developing a digital factory in a bid to take advantage of the productivity improvements afforded by the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Last year Heaps teamed up with the Virtual Engineering Centre at the University of Liverpool in a bid to make better use of state-of-the-art technology including 3D printing. In May this year the collaboration was honoured at the 2019 Made in the North West Awards.
Founded in 1866, Heap & Partners is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers and distributors of fluid control equipment.
Heaps has pursued a three-pronged ‘People, Planet, and Profit’ strategy since 2012 which sees the business work on a whole host of environmental and community initiatives. Carbon-neutral since 2017, Heaps gives six paid days per year to every member of staff to volunteer in local charities or to undertake fundraising activities. Last year the firm supported 42 staff volunteering days and matched £12,000 in funding for charities.
Heaps is encouraging staff to go vegetarian one day a week to reduce the impact of meat and dairy’s contribution to global warming. The firm is a partner of Wirral Council’s Apprenticeship programme regularly hiring Wirral residents who are not in employment, education or training.
Heap & Partners managing director David Millar said: “This year’s extremely strong financial results show that our long-term strategic plan is working. We are doing more business in high-growth markets around the world and are making use of cutting- edge technology to improve how we do things. As a business I’m delighted we can look forward to the 2020s with a huge degree of optimism.”
