Pictured above: (l-r) Frenco Director John Stearn with Liam Byrne (MP)

A West Midlands based cabinet member has visited an automotive manufacturer in his constituency to discover how it has shifted its business into new areas.

Liam Byrne MP visited Frenco International in Kitts Green, a tier 2 SME that employs 30 people.  

The firm has received strategic diversification help from the Manufacturing Advisory Service - West Midlands (MAS-WM) as part of the business support organisation's successful Automotive Response Programme.

Liam Byrne spent the morning discussing how the company has moved into the overseas market and took questions before touring the site. 

He said: "It's great to see a local business becoming a world beater. I'm proud this government is helping them diversify and I hope they and other small firms in the West Midlands will get a boost from the Budget's new tax breaks."

Working in the high technology sector, Frenco International manufacture spline gauges and master gears that are extensively used in the automotive industry worldwide.

It was heavily dependent on this sector and like many in the industry suffered from the global downturn.

Using high accuracy production processes, the company wanted to target export growth and stronger links in Asian regions and this approach has already secured £300,000 in new sales and safeguarded five jobs. 

MAS-WM's help allowed it to become more flexible and responsive in providing quotations and technical data, especially to overseas clients.  

Frenco Director John Stearn added: "I was delighted to host this site visit and express to Liam Byrne  the importance of the MAS support and the quality of advice received from adviser Maxine Chapman, who took the time to get to know our company and understand our needs, in order to deliver the right resources to help us."

MAS-WM's Chief Executive Simon Griffiths concluded: "We were delighted to demonstrate to Mr Byrne just how quickly this programme has made a difference to companies like Frenco. It's a fantastic example how a forward-thinking management team can make themselves fit for the future by accepting the help that's on offer from business support organisations."