Slough firm clinches £1.25m US deal

A Berkshire business is celebrating after winning an initial contract worth £1.25 million for a major American environmental project to reduce lorry emissions.

Slough-based specialist fabricator Craufurd Technology scooped the contract after working closely with an associate US firm in developing the new product, of which some thousands are expected to be installed over the next few years.

It is hoped to increase turnover by £1 million on the back of new high-quality architectural sales and an important part of getting the new sales drive into gear was updating the website, brochures, signage and on-site showroom to reflect the quality of the products. The company also aims to increase the workforce from 40 to 60 by the end of 2009 and to double its factory space.

The deal is the latest boost for the firm which started in 1949 and, in the intervening years, has diversified to cover specialist stainless steel fabrications, secondary steelwork and, more recently, metal sculptures and architectural metalwork

Earlier this year the company embarked on an overhaul of its corporate identity after signing up to Designing Demand, a programme developed by the Design Council and delivered by Business Link. Funded in the south east by SEEDA, the programme offers practical support to help businesses make strategic design decisions and set up and run design projects.

The re-vamp is designed to attract more high-quality, high-margin architectural steel fabrication projects from architects, developers, local authority town planners and sculptors.

Chairman David Davies, who clinched the American deal, recognises the importance of responding to market forces. “We are increasingly commissioned by architects and sculptural designers to create metal structures that are used everywhere from ships’ atriums to shopping malls so we decided to re-position the company to attract more of this type of work,” he said.

“Meanwhile we retain a sound client base that includes organisations such as Mars Confectionery, Skanska, Bloor Homes, Royal Mail, Nestle and Redrow Homes, and the American contract win confirms that all strands of our business are going from strength to strength.”

Jackie Walker, regional programme manager for Designing Demand in the South East, said: “Craufurd backed this project wholeheartedly right from the start, recognising that excellence in the way they presented themselves to potential new business will be the key to success.”