Hydram Sheet Metalwork announces 60% sales boost

The firm – which supplies metal products and components to the likes of Alexander Dennis, Caterpillar, JCB and Thorn Lighting – said it had invested "significant time and money" into securing the ISO14001 environmental accreditation and ISO18001 health and safety standard as part of a push to win new contracts in the earth moving, transport and white goods markets. With assistance from the Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS), the management team has also committed to Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) training for a number of its workers. "The management team made the conscious decision to continue to invest even during the recession and this has helped us to capitalise on the upturn," explained Hydram's safety, health & environment manager Andrew Robertson (left of picture). Hydram, which employs 180 people at its 100,000 sq ft site, accessed grants to attain the ISO14001 and ISO18001 accreditations and says it has reduced its energy usage as well as cutting general waste by over 60%. MAS Advisor Lynn Thompson (right of picture) said the company had also received "fantastic external support from Marek Bidwell at Bidwell Management Services". She added: "The creation of 60 jobs is a real local boost and all of these positions have been filled with the potential of more to come." Hydram is currently undertaking a £4m investment drive that has seen a gradual move towards more automation. Recent additions to the company's plant include a Salvagnini panel bender, a Panasonic robot welder, an Adige tube cutting laser machine and an ELECT-52 tube bender.