A Sheffield-based scissor manufacturer that supplies royalty, Formula One teams, golf courses and bulletproof jacket specialists has invested in three new machines to help it meet an unprecedented rise in sales.

William Whiteley & Sons, which has been trading for more than 260 years, has spent in excess of £80,000 in upgrading its production capability to include state-of-the-art vibratory finishing technology.

Boosted by a capital grant from the Manufacturing Growth Programme (MGP), the latest addition brings automation to the company for the first time, helping it redeploy crucial labour to more value-added work and provide a 30% increase in capacity.

“When it comes to producing scissors and shears, we have some of the best craftsmen and women in the world,” explains company director Jeremy Ward. “We needed to protect those skills by investing in new technology that would automate a labour-intensive, low-skilled process, and that’s why we pressed the button on the capital spend.

“The vibratory finishing machine provides repeatable quality and the option to manufacture through the night,” he continues. “It also gives us the smoothest and most aesthetically pleasing finish possible, which is what customers for our scissors and shears demand. Sales in this arena now account for 30% of turnover and our beautifully crafted products are being used by tailors on Saville Row, by major fashion labels and by the army of people who are turning to crafts during COVID-19.”

William Whiteley & Sons, which employs 15 people and boasts a £1.1m turnover, has been working with the Manufacturing Growth Programme to identify and overcome production bottlenecks.

For further information www.manufacturinggrowthprogramme.co.uk