The Bentley deal, along with significant body-in-white work for Sertec Group, is the latest in a long line of ‘wins’ for the metal pressings and deep-drawn component specialist, which has seen sales rise 20% to £6 million over the past 12 months.
“We’ve come a long way since my grandfather Frank started the business in his small shed,” says current managing director Grant Dudley-Toole. “His approach of getting products right first time is one that we have built our business around, and has been crucial in helping us introduce lean manufacturing and world-class quality and delivery performance – two important factors in winning the recent contracts for Bentley and a major earthmoving equipment manufacturer.”
Elliot Dudley-Toole, manager at FDL and a fourth generation family member, adds: “Today, we operate from a 57,000 sq ft facility in Birmingham and have an array of presses from 30 to 630 tonnes on both progression and tandem lines. We have also invested over £200,000 in a nut insertion machine, a new grinder and additional spot welding capabilities to ensure we can manufacture volumes ranging from 50 components per batch to 15,000 parts per week.”
He adds: “The recent purchases – combined with the recruitment of a buyer, project manager, toolmaker and four apprentices – will give us the capacity to target £7 million of sales by 2019, with specific focus on growing our export work.”
Frank Dudley, which has recently secured accreditation to the ISO14001 environmental standard, hosted a major celebration event to mark its 70th year of manufacturing in Birmingham. More than 200 guests were entertained by operatic waiters, a magician and live musicians, before keynote addresses from Grant Dudley-Toole and Grant Adams, chief executive of Sertec Group. The evening helped raise £2,000 to support the work of Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
