Ardenton investment helps PP Control & Automation deliver a record £26m year

PP Control & Automation has seen demand for its solutions continue to rise against a backdrop of economic uncertainty, with the Cheslyn Hay-based firm now working with more than 25 of the world’s largest machinery builders.

The company, which employs more than 220 people at its 5,500 sq metre facility at Landywood Green, delivers added value design, engineering and complex assembly to clients involved in aerospace, food processing, machine tools, packaging, printing and advanced technologies.

With renewed financial backing from the Canadian-based investor, PP C&A has added £3m of turnover over the last 12 months and is now exploring the possibility of future acquisitions and a joint venture to establish a manufacturing footprint in North America.

It has also strengthened its senior management team, with the strategic appointment of Stewart Robertson as head of finance and Garry Myatt as sales director.

"We are very pleased with how the last year has gone, especially when you consider we have had to overcome Brexit uncertainty and global trade wars," explained Tony Hague, chief executive of PP Control & Automation.

"Over 10 per cent growth has been achieved and we are delighted with how we have been able to win contracts in new markets, with automotive electrification a major breakthrough for us.

"Ardenton Capital’s involvement has been key to this expansion. It has only been a year, but the financial support and advice has given us the additional impetus to attack new opportunities and make two key appointments.

“Stewart and Garry both bring with them significant corporate experience and strengthens our senior management team ahead of a five-year growth plan that will see us target £40m.”

Without knowing it, PP C&A touches all of our lives, whether that is in the supply of fresh milk, keeping your mobile phone dry, bagging your crisps or helping your favourite F1 team perform well in Monaco.

Its strategic outsourcing partnerships provide machine builders with better production flexibility, reduced lead times and greater control over their supply chain and costs.

"We give our clients the confidence to focus on what they do best and that is an approach that is really paying off.

"Increasingly we are getting involved in the early stage development of new technology with our ‘design for manufacturing’ expertise helping them to speed up product to market and increasing machine customisation.

"In order to deliver world class manufacturing performance, we need to ensure our own internal processes are working and we have invested heavily in our people and new technology to deliver 99.2 per cent delivered quality.

"That’s outstanding when you consider we manage a supply chain that contains 13,000 part numbers and 500 different suppliers," said Mr Hague.

PP Control & Automation is a founder member of the Manufacturing Assembly Network, a collective of eight manufacturers and a specialist engineering design agency.

The group, which enjoys more than £150m sales and employs more than 1,600 people, can offer every engineering discipline imaginable, including automation and control systems, forging, plastic injection moulding, PCB development, precision machining, high-volume pressings and welded assemblies.