Firm invests in Indian base

The firm, which has been manufacturing since 1925, has now assumed full ownership of the supply chain from sourcing materials right through to manufacture, import and distribution into retailers.

Due to market forces, the company reluctantly began outsourcing the vast majority of manufacturing nearly 20 years ago, but recently decided that maintaining its exacting quality standards and consistent stock levels, required building its own facility from the ground up.

Decades of experience as an industry-leading manufacturer have been drawn on to develop and install up-to-the-minute thinking and processes which enhance the quality and reliability of the goods produced in its factory in Delhi, India.

The project has taken nearly two years and is managed by the in-house team with well over a century of industry experience between them. Spearheading the operation is managing director, Guy Perry, with 40 years of manufacturing knowledge in the company, and who has led a training and development programme for the factory’s more than 150 employees as well as introducing efficiency processes based on LEAN principles.

Guy Perry said: “The investment has been significant and due to the current situation, it’s been very challenging; but having autonomy over the entire process is already paying dividends as we are one of the only hardware and ironmongery suppliers who has been able to maintain a level of supply at a critical time where there is a significant shortage of it on the market. Now, we are able to match supply and demand thanks to more than 700 tonnes of products arriving in our West Midlands distribution centre each month, which has been a welcome relief for many in the industry who feared an ongoing shortage.”

A Perry has also partnered with specialists at OrderWise to install advanced warehouse management and stock control software, which has already vastly improved efficiencies in comparison to the archaic, paper-based systems commonly used in factories in the area, as well as a substantial investment in fully automated machinery to produce the companies exacting standards of quality.

As noted by Guy, it was of key importance that the facilities and working conditions of the factory were of excellent standards and that staff are working in a healthy and safe environment.

The project at its Delhi site is being undertaken while the company also invests £1.2 million in 15 fully automated robots for its Cradley Heath warehouse, utilizing the innovation supplied by OW Robotics.

Mr Perry added: “We’re a family business with nearly a century of manufacturing history behind us and our customers throughout the UK and beyond have come to expect the very best from us. We can only deliver on our promises if we are backed by a reliable, efficient supply chain and we have realised that the only way to truly ensure this is to build our own.

“Developing our own manufacturing base in Delhi represents a significant investment of both time and money for our company, but in return we will ensure the quality and continuity required for us to retain our position as industry-leaders for years to come”