Ascott praised by Government as it opens vast new manufacturing facility

Award-winning British manufacturer Ascott Analytical Equipment Ltd has doubled its factory size with a large-scale expansion of its Midlands HQ.

Ascott, which makes corrosion test chambers for some of the world’s biggest automotive and aerospace groups, officially opened its new facility in the presence of Tamworth Mayor, Councillor Peter Thurgood.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by some of Ascott’s key distributors from Japan, China, the US, India and Europe, at the factory for a five-day conference.

Celebrations come on the back of a raft of export awards and an impressive year-on-year performance which led the Government to invite the Ascott board to contribute to the 2018 Parliamentary Review, representing manufacturing and services. 

The past few months have seen three major award wins for the global exporter - the Made in the Midlands Export Award; the EEF’s Midlands Region Export Award and the National Award for Export, also from the EEF.

Growing markets in the US, South America, the Far East and Australia prompted the firm - which exports 95% of all its equipment to more than 100 countries - to expand into the unit next to its Lichfield Road Industrial Estate base.

It includes the doubling of its factory floor space plus impressive new offices, demonstration rooms, a vast reception area, new boardroom and a training zone - which has already been used for a major European conference for GUS, the Society for Environmental Simulation, based in Germany.

Chairman Chris Gates started the company 29 years ago and now employs 35 people.

He said: “We’ve been determined to build a world-class facility to not only manufacture our exceptional corrosion test chambers but to entertain our world-class distributors.

“We’re proud of the fact that we’re manufacturing here in Tamworth and that we’re employing Tamworth people, creating quality jobs and exporting to the world.”

Cllr Thurgood talked about the Midlands’ rich automotive heritage and paid tribute to Ascott’s contribution to the manufacturing economy.

He added: “I’m very pleased to be able to congratulate such a successful business here in Tamworth and open what is undoubtedly a world-class factory. I’m confident that further success will come Ascott’s way.”

A reception at Westminster celebrated the launch of the 2018 Parliamentary Report, in which the UK’s leading manufacturers share best practice and routes to business success.

Adrian Wain, Ascott’s Managing Director, said: “It was a huge honour to be asked to contribute to the 2018 Parliamentary Report alongside such illustrious British manufacturers.

“To be able to share our 29 years of expertise in business and our export strategy with other companies is testament to Ascott’s continued success in what is a difficult market.

“The expansion of our Tamworth factory means we can increase our output to meet the needs of our automotive and aerospace customers across the UK and abroad.

“We’re proud to be a truly British manufacturer. We make everything here on site for our award-winning test chambers which we supply to some of the biggest manufacturers in the world, and we continue to fly the flag for British manufacturing on the world stage.”

Ascott supplies test chambers, which allow manufacturers to monitor the corrosion resistance of their components, to major automotive groups including Tesla, Bentley, Volkswagen, Jaguar Land Rover, Ford and Volvo. 

Aerospace customers include landing gear giants Safran, Bombadier, Airbus and Boeing.  

It also supplies other world-leading tech companies including Bosch, Phillips, Toshiba, Hitachi, Panasonic and Samsung.

Its world-class climate testing range includes chambers delivering everything from continuous salt spray to condensation, humidity and modified tests.

Models ‘speak’ several different languages, boast patented spray bar technology and range from a 120l chamber to a 2,600l machine capable of taking a whole motorbike or large-scale car and aircraft components.