Tooling firm's pattern for new growth

Gary Wood and Gerry Hart set up 5th Dimension Tooling in 2009 after losing their jobs. The duo were quickly joined by former workmate Neil Greenwood.

Together the trio earned the support of customers of their former company, winning work and expanding their client base thanks to the quality of their toolmaking skills.

The company has now grown to employ 14 people and has just tripled the size of its factory on Tipton's Brymill Industrial Estate, taking on two addition units to create an area dedicated to creating tools from composite materials.

Although most of their custom is in the UK, the company is building a client base in Europe and has just completed its first job for a customer in the US.

"It's an aerospace job and we're hoping it leads to more," said Gary.

Over the last seven years the partners reckon they have pumped around £1 million into the business in terms of capital investment, with new equipment and now a bigger factory.

Gerry Hart said: "Customers range from rail to automotive, aerospace and even Formula 1 racing teams. They are all very demanding and we work to very tight tolerances and a high degree of accuracy.

"We work with customers, developing what they want into a practical tooling solution."

Gary added: "Most of what we make are one-offs, single moulds, but we build long-term relationships with our customers.

"The work varies, but we are seeing a lot of work from the aerospace sector at the moment such as jig we made recently."

"Our original unit here was around 18,000 sq ft, but we now occupy three times that. We have bought the units, rather than rent, because that gives the company an asset. We had to refurbish and remodel the two units and make them into one before we could move in a few months ago.

"It has a clean room for working on composites and an autoclave - an oven for making the tooling from composite material. We have a four strong team working in this section, including an apprentice. But we have a flexible workforce and can all work across different areas of the business."

In addition to the composite division, the company also produces tools in steel, aluminium, wood and tooling board, as well as working on prototyping.

5th Dimension has a small team but is big on commitment to the local area. They have just raised £1,600 for the Mary Stevens Hospice in Stourbridge with a 40-mile bike ride, backed by many of the firm' customers – "I'd really like to thank them all for their support in raising those funds," said Gary. "We're just trying to give something back. We only had a month's training but now we are looking to put together a team of four to take part in the Velo Birmingham next year."

This 100-mile charity event along closed roads next September will see 15,000 riders heading out into Hereford & Worcester before returning to Birmingham.

It is part of the team ethos the trio have built at the firm, from experienced toolmakers like Wayne Russell, who joined five years ago, and Julie Gibbs, who runs the office and keeps all the paperwork in order, to the young apprentices who have been taken on.

"We have taken on a number of young lads and they have flourished really. It is has been so successful that we have just taken on another apprentice."