A specialist fund to help manufacturers emerge from the downturn has helped a Redditch-based pressworker win new business after introducing technology born in the 1960s.

AE Oscroft, which employs 47 people at its Park Farm site, has launched a joint venture that has seen it re-start production of internationally acclaimed Weller Wheels, with many orders already placed from the autosport and specialist vehicle markets.

The £15,000 grant from the Manufacturing Advisory Service-backed Automotive Response Programme (ARP) gave the company the necessary capital to set-up tooling and to complete a knowledge transfer programme that has seen founder Les Weller train three people in the art of making low volume steel wheels. 

Tim Oscroft, Managing Director at AE Oscroft, believes the potential for the new venture is endless.

"We saw monthly volumes drop by nearly 50% last year and this left us with a big gap in the order book that we had to address and address quickly.

"Through various different contacts we started talking to Les about the possibility of manufacturing his specialist wheels, which were first manufactured in 1967 but disappeared after his company was bought out by a major German conglomerate in the late 90s."

He continued: "We had the capacity at Redditch both in terms of space and personnel and, following an analysis of the market, we quickly established that there was a major niche for a company in Europe that could supply specialist steel wheels.

"Once we had agreed it was a good business opportunity, we then had the very demanding task of re-introducing the machinery and original technology and ensuring we had members of staff who could run the production line while Les used his contacts to re-establish the customer base."

Faced with tighter budgets brought on by the downturn, AE Oscroft applied to the Automotive Response Programme for a £15,000 grant that would be used to bring machinery back into life and to fund training and development work.

The assistance was invaluable in bringing the project forward by more than six months and the company already admits to producing many 100's of wheels for circuit racing and oval racing teams so far.

It is also using its design and added value engineering operation to develop bespoke wheels for use in off-road, industrial and specialist military vehicles. There is even a project to fit a new product to the iconic Trebant to improve its overall performance.

Tim went on to add: "As a result of this diversification we have almost certainly safeguarded four jobs and, with demand set to rise in the coming year, expect to actively start recruiting new people shortly."

Les, who is known throughout the motorsport world, picked up the story: "The beauty of what we do is that we are able to cost-effectively design and manufacture specialist steel wheels in small volumes, ranging from 50 to 500 pieces - a service no one in Europe offers.

"Our wheels provide a unique alternative to off-the shelf options and allow designers to get the right match between the axle and the tyre, thus increasing performance of the vehicle significantly.

"And it's not always a case of making brand new wheels. It may be that we can evolve existing designs and technology to provide exactly what the customer wants."

Pictured above: (l-r) Peter Roach (MAS-WM), Steve Hornsby (Machine Operator) and Tim Oscroft (Managing Director at AE Oscroft)

Delivered by the Manufacturing Advisory Service-West Midlands (MAS-WM) in partnership with automotive experts Accelerate, ARP provided component makers with up to £50,000 of specialist expertise to help with business consolidation, refinancing, new product introduction and supply chain improvement.

Over £4.5 million of Advantage West Midlands and ERDF funding has been invested into the supply chain, assisting more than 120 companies to increase sales and safeguard in excess of 1000 jobs. 

MAS-WM's Peter Roach said: "AE Oscroft is a very progressive company, steeped in tradition yet not afraid to try new things and to diversify to help the business expand and succeed. By tapping into the Response Programme, the management team were able to take exciting plans and turn them into reality, bringing an established technology back into the marketplace.

"The assistance has also increased sales by 16% and kept four people in employment."

AE Oscroft, which is estimated to turnover £3.2m in 2010, is a progressive presswork engineering company, with sixty years experience in supplying quality metal pressings, assemblies and prototypes for use in the automotive, construction, domestic goods and aerospace sectors.

Future plans include the strong possibility of building a second factory (22,000 sq ft) on adjacent land to the existing site, which could eventually become a dedicated home for the rapidly expanding Weller Wheels business.