A metal-working business has invested and adapted to trade its way through the lockdown.
ADS Laser Cutting has spent money on new tech and looked at new sectors as it works to maintain ongoing year-on-year growth.
The business offers services such as metal laser cutting, folding, fabrication and finishing, with sites in Wigston and Bruntingthorpe, both just south of Leicester.
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ADS was founded by brothers Duncan and Stephen Keates and turned over £7 million in its last financial year. It has seen 20 per cent year-on-year growth over the last three years.
Duncan Keates said: “We looked at our current ways of working and how we could adapt some rules to allow for working from home, which was a big change for our company.
“We managed to implement changes which would normally take months in a matter of a week.
“Our team were great, making the transition as smooth as possible and adapting well.
“Unfortunately, we witnessed a number of customers temporarily close, whilst demand went up for others.
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“In the medical sector for example, we manufactured components which would go in the Nightingale hospitals and ventilator parts, and given the situation offered our express service free of charge to ensure these parts were received as quickly as possible.”
Stephen Keates said: “By continuing to invest in marketing during this period, we Identified opportunities in new sectors which has proven to be successful. We are now operating at pre-lockdown levels and are continuing to see brand new enquiries coming in from sectors we have not previously operated in.
“I feel by reacting the way we did, altering our way of working across the whole company and with our team taking to the changes so well, kept ADS not only from closing our doors but busy throughout and currently thriving.”
Company marketing executive Phillip McCluskey said they were now up to around 66 employees.
He said: “We’ve invested £1 million in the latest laser cutting technology and spent money on marketing and launched a new website.
“We have targeted new customers and have stayed busy enough to keep our doors open. Now we are back to pre-lockdown levels.
“We have a range of clients. Typical they might be in construction, automotive, mining, retail, rail and aerospace, and predominantly in the 海角视频.
“We did furlough some staff but managed to bring all of them back.”