Milestone for ACE

A precision manufacturer has celebrated 25 years in business by producing its 150millionth component. The ‘etched’ part, is heading into the world of electrification and is the perfect way for Advanced Chemical Etching (ACE) to mark nearly a quarter of a century of manufacturing in Telford. “We want 2025 to be a real celebration of what the business has achieved and where we want to go over the next 25 years,” says managing director Ian Whateley. “A big summer BBQ took place recently and we’re going to give every one of our 70-strong workforce their birthdays off as a little thank you.”

More information www.ace-uk.net

JLRQ Award for BCW

Component manufacturing solutions provider BCW Engineering has received the Jaguar Land Rover Quality (JLRQ) award, marking a major milestone in its journey as a tier-one supplier to one of the UK’s most iconic automotive manufacturers. The award presentation took place this week at BCW’s Innovation Drive headquarters in Burnley, where senior representatives from Jaguar Land Rover joined the BCW team to celebrate the achievement. The JLRQ award is a significant quality accreditation granted to suppliers that demonstrate exceptional performance across quality, cost, delivery and customer satisfaction.

More information www.bcwgroup.co.uk

Fabricator Achieves 40% Revenue Growth

Tadweld, a provider of metal fabrication and engineering solutions based in Tadcaster, is reporting a landmark year of growth and achievement despite the steel industry facing significant challenges. The company has achieved a 40% increase in revenue and welcomed its 50th team member – two significant milestones that underscore Tadweld’s continued industry momentum. The business has invested over £500,000 in capital equipment in the past 12 months, including two state-of-the-art laser welding machines, as well as new Amada presses and guillotines.

More information www.tadweld.co.uk

Subcontract Market Up 61% in Q2

The UK subcontract manufacturing market leapt ahead in the second quarter of 2025 as large buyers returned to the market with new projects. The signs are that there are more to come. The latest Contract Manufacturing Index (CMI) shows that the subcontract market was up 61% on Q1 20205, which was itself 50% up on Q4 2024.

Commenting on the figures, Qimtek owner Karl Wigart says: “It’s good to see the market up on the previous quarter; it finally seems to be getting up some momentum and shrugging off potential adverse factors. We’re hearing that there are more projects to come, but buyers are not sure when that will be. Hopefully this growth will continue in the next quarter.”

More information www.qimtek.co.uk

Multi-million expansion at Doncasters

Precision castings specialist Doncasters has commissioned a new fully automated shell line at its Groton facility in Connecticut, USA, a key advancement in the company’s long-term manufacturing strategy. The $13m capital investment expands the Groton site’s operational footprint by 17,000 ft² and introduces next-generation automation and environmental control systems. Equipped with three high-precision six-axis robots and the IC-Crystal Shell Management System for process management, the new line significantly enhances production capacity, part quality and operational reliability.

More information www.doncasters.com