Ecam invests as demand exceeds pre-covid levels
A FAMILY-RUN steel fabricator has invested more than £250,000 in new machinery after seeing turnover double in the last six months.
Established in 1968, Ecam Engineering is a specialist supplier of precision fabricated components.
It supplies customers in the construction, railway, automotive and medical industries across the UK – and counts digger giant JCB as its biggest customer.
Over the last six months, the 36-strong company has been forced to review its capabilities after seeing a huge rise in demand.
Now the firm, which is based at Tower Crane Drive in Cheadle, has taken delivery of its first horizontal machining centre, pictured, – taking the company’s total investment over the last five years to in excess of £1 million.
Managing director Phil Arme, whose father David helped set up the business more than 50 years ago, said: “We have been operating throughout the pandemic, albeit at a reduced capacity, but in the last six months we have become very, very busy and are now exceeding pre-pandemic levels.
“The increase in business in such a short space of time means we have had to look at how we can increase capacity and improve efficiencies at the business.”
Phil added: “JCB is our biggest customer and they are doing extremely well at the moment because the construction industry is so buoyant, and this is filtering down to us.
“At the same time, we are also seeing an increase in demand from new and existing customers.”
As part Ecam’s ongoing investment, the company has recently recruited three apprentices in an effort to tackle the industry-wide skills shortage.
And the move has been such a success that the firm is already planning to recruit additional trainees later this year.
Phil said: “We’ve never had any apprentices before, but it is very difficult to recruit and over the past few years we have struggled to find skilled staff.
“Bringing apprentices into the business has given us the option to train them ourselves, and it’s been really successful.
“All of the lads have done a really good job and we are already looking to take on two more apprentices in August.”
Phil – who took over the business eight years ago – added: “When we came out of the pandemic, things came to a bit of a halt, but in the last six months things have just gone mad. Our turnover has doubled, so now our focus is to stabilise the business and continue producing the quality work that we are known for.”
There’s an increase in demand from new and existing customers...