The £300,000 investment on the expansion and new machinery comes on the back of a sustained period of growth, with new contracts from the metalworking, automotive and white-goods sectors helping MPPS push towards a turnover of £3 million – the best 12 months in its near 30-year history.
In addition to the second site, the company has also bought a new Versa-Lift for £150,000, a special forklift that has an extendable frame to help with the smooth and safe lifting of heavy machinery.
Josie Stevenson, company secretary at Midland Power Press Services, says: “We’ve had an excellent 12 months as more manufacturers are looking at keeping their existing presses working longer, and that’s where we can really make a difference. Our expertise has seen us win work for the likes of GKN, Glen Dimplex, Stadco, Tata Steel and Federal Mogul.”
She continues: “Over the past three years, we’ve invested heavily in moving towards CNC machining, bringing certain services in-house and doubling our capacity so that we’re in a position to take on additional contracts. We now have enough square footage across the two units to offer confined space equipment, which is a big requirement when working with presses. The growth has also necessitated the need for five additional people, including a new health and safety manager.”
Established in 1980 in a small workshop in Wolverhampton, MPPS has grown from a one-man operation to a business employing 30 skilled engineers. At its base in the heart of the Black Country, the company offers pneumatics, machining and assembly, as well as the testing of mechanical assemblies and complex machines. In addition, the electrical division of MPPS - Flangecombe - is vastly experienced in rewiring presses, and designing, building and testing control panels.
The company has also signed an agreement to become the exclusive UK sales agent for Omera, an Italian-based supplier of beading machines and presses. This development means, for the first time, that the company can provide new equipment, ranging from mechanical and hydraulic presses, to fully automatic lines.
“The recent open day was a huge success, attracting over 100 people,” says Stevenson. “There has been a lot of changes here and we wanted to show customers and suppliers exactly what we can offer, including the new machining shop and the state-of-the-art design software we’re using to help identify issues for the customer. If the order pipeline continues as it is, we’ll enter our 30th year on course for £4 million.”
MPPS, which is working its way towards ISO 9001 accreditation, is a real family affair, with Josie’s partner Bob Crow at the helm with her, alongside daughter Ruth Harper and sons Paul and Simon.
