A city company which makes high security doors is investing £1 million to expand into new premises – creating jobs in the process – after rising demand.
Tyseley firm Warrior Doors, which makes stainless steel, aluminium and glazed doors, is moving to a dedicated 18,000 sq ft manufacturing facility and showroom on the Kings Road Industrial Estate.
The move, which will see 10 new jobs created, comes after the company saw sales rise to £2.5 million in the current financial year after diversifying into new markets, including high-end retailers and jewellers.
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Brett Barratt, managing director, said: “We’ve come a long way from when we first started. New orders are being placed each week, including a substantial contract with Solihull Community Housing.
“This meant we’d reached capacity at our existing site and needed to start planning for a move to a new facility that offered us more space and an improved layout – the Kings Road location being the ideal new home for us.
“We should be fully moved in by the end of February and, as part of the £1 million total investment, we are also installing a state-of-the-art tube cutting laser, extra assembly jigs and a new powder coating plant.”
The company worked with the Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) and secured £200,000 of Regional Growth Funding and Business Development Programme support to help with the move.
It works in more than 20 local authority areas but has recently also completed projects for jewellers, banks, bullion dealers and government bodies looking to protect critical national infrastructure.
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Mr Barratt added: “This has created a lot of interest in our products and proves that our doors can withstand even the most professional and fiercest of attacks.
“We’ve already landed in excess of £300,000 of contracts supplying bespoke security doors for high end retailers and jewellers, not to mention an ongoing relationship with a major cash handling company. Recent CCTV footage we received shows exactly how strong our products are with one jeweller subjected to three different raids featuring sledgehammers, armed robbers and a 20-man attack during the riots of 2012.”
The Manufacturing Advisory Service has been working with Warrior Doors for more than three years, providing strategic advice on business growth, lean production and testing.
Maxine Chapman, MAS Advisor, said: “The results have been fantastic. Sales have more than doubled in two years, ten new jobs have taken the workforce up to 25 and the relocation provides the platform the company needs to grow for years to come.”