Pictured above: Simon Woods, educational products director, TecQuipment

A small manufacturing company is defying the recession, exporting its specialist education equipment across the globe which includes helping to train students in war-torn Iraq.

Business is growing at Long Eaton, Derby-based TecQuipment which underwent a quiet revolution last August, 50 years after it was formed to design and manufacturer equipment for university engineering students.

Over the years the company had diversified and become TQ Education and Training, with the head office based at Lockington, but last year the directors decided to de-merge to allow both sides of the business to grow in their separate ways.

Simon Woods, educational products director, who had joined the company in 1973 as an engineering student, bought the manufacturing base in Bonsall Street along with the equipment and intellectual property rights, and reverted back to its original name and products operation. 

The gamble has paid off. The company has increased its annual turnover and exports to more than 65 countries worldwide, expecting to boost this to 70 by the end of its financial year.

TecQuipment employs more than 50 people and manufactures more than 500 products, ranging from the type of equipment used by A-level physics students to that used by engineering under and post-gradutes.

Earlier this year it manufactured and installed at Cardiff University a power system simulator used for training engineering students in how to operate a power station.

It is now producing another one for Kuwait and is hoping to have orders for two more from the Far East.

One of the company's top six markets is war-ravaged Iraq, which it has been supplying equipment to 40 years and where Simon will be visiting in July to address a seminar for university lecturers.

"Iraq has always modelled its education system on that of the UK so the country has consistently produced a high calibre of university graduates, particularly in engineering," he said.

"Now the market is opening up there again it's great to know that we are at the forefront of helping the engineers of tomorrow who will be involved in re-building their country."

TecQuipment sells through a network of agents across the world. Simon does not just sit in his office directing operations; he regularly packs his bags and with a handful of colleagues travels abroad to promote the company and what it can offer.

So far they have visited 30 countries this year, some of them hostile environments, but safety of staff is always the top consideration, with Simon stressing he would not send anybody to a country where he is not prepared to go himself.

"Helping to train others is the ethos behind the company. We feel strongly that education is the platform for some countries to develop.

Simon is a strong believer that manufacturing will help the UK out of its current economic problems, and he feels that TecQuipment is showing the way.

"Our products are recognised as market leaders throughout the world and that's down to our design and manufacturing skills in Long Eaton where we produce high quality, high-tech equipment," he said.

He admits he took a substantial personal and financial risk when he bought out and became the owner last year, but is pleased it is showing signs of growth.

Now, with changing trends in manufacturing the company is looking for new premises that are more appropriate for the way it operates, but Simon - who is also a director of enterprise agency Erewash Partnership - is adamant that these must be within the area so as to hold on to his dedicated and specialised workforce.