Thomas Dudley Ltd to increase production

A foundry which has been representing the Black Country around the globe for 90 years will increase production to safeguard jobs and speed its recovery from recession, bosses said today.

Thomas Dudley Ltd, the name seen on drain covers in far-flung destinations throughout the world, is spending £2 million on a moulding machine which will double production at one of its six plants. The company, in Dudley, wants to stabilise after a tough couple of years.

Then the Birmingham New Road firm is aiming to recruit staff to continue expanding.

Joint managing director Martin Dudley said the new moulding machine would more than double production at the Foundry Division, boosting its output from 150 metal moulds per hour to 320.

"In the short-term, this will secure jobs as we face strong competition from overseas," he said.

"But in the long-term it will hopefully mean we can take on more staff.

"The new equipment also means the quality of the products will improve in the sense that edges will be smoother and the items will need less work before they reach the customer."

The Foundry Division creates specialised products such as parts for range cookers and parts for oil industry equipment.

It is a major supplier of bathroom products, iron castings, plastic WC cisterns, ductile iron castings and engineering castings.

Mr Dudley said the firm relied heavily on business from the construction trade.

"That's what hit us during the recession, as the building world suffered a great deal," he said.

"Sales fell in the last two years to 18 months and remained flat since then."

Thomas Dudley Ltd, founded in 1920, employs around 300 staff. It is one of the Black Country's largest independent employers.

One of the major issues the company has faced in recent years is the influx of products from abroad, largely China, who can get hold of cheaper materials and pay lower wages.