Wire products maker bucks trend

Vanguard, the Halifax-based wire products, retail display and storage systems manufacturer, says it has a full order book, is working at near-maximum capacity, diversifying into new product areas and expanding its workforce. Managing director Paul Howcroft said the company’s success could be put down to its ability to adapt and improve by necessity in order to survive. “We have gone a long way to guaranteeing our future by moving into new market sectors, investing in new design capabilities and machinery that allows us to undertake more manufacturing in-house - and by adopting pioneering Lean thinking to simplify operations and boost productivity,” he said. The willingness of management and staff to adapt to new working had been key to recent growth. “That’s why we are now knocking on the doors of the big boys and picking up some major contracts,” Howcroft added. Vanguard has turned over an average of £2.4 million for the last four years, with the last two years seeing over 50% of traditional revenue being replaced with new business. The company says it is on course to achieve record turnover of £3 million by the end of 2009. The company has traditionally supplied the likes of Nissan and Jaguar with a range of wire-related seating products but with the UK automotive industry declining over the last three years and margins reducing, Vanguard’s automotive business has fallen from 80% to 35% of turnover. Forced to look elsewhere, Vanguard acquired an order book from a local company supplying retail display and storage equipment, adapting its own machinery to produce these products. Now, Howcroft says: “We have turned the whole business on its head by increasing manufacturing capacity and introducing a much more diverse range of products.We are currently working up to 90% of our manufacturing capacity. Pictured: Last one off the line: Members of Vanguard’s workforce gather on completion of the contract for 10,500 display baskets for a major high street retail chain.