Historic manufacturer posts record year with a little recruitment help from MET

Isaac H Grainger’s, which is a market leader in the manufacture of raised access flooring pedestals, has seen a rise in sales after securing a surge of reshoring successes from aboard.

The 158-year-old Cradley Heath business has extended its long-standing relationship with MET Recruitment to help it meet increases in demand from customers in the UK and overseas.

This means that, at any one time, the firm could have tens of temporary workers sourced by the Dudley recruitment specialist, with some candidates vetted and supplied within a few hours’ notice.

Rebecca Grainger, sales and marketing director designate, commented: “We are one of the leading names in access flooring and the only UK manufacturer of flooring pedestals, and this unique position gives us an immense sense of pride.

“An access floor has almost become a necessity in offices, commercial spaces, data centres and sporting stadium owing to their unmatched convenience and benefits. With Covid-19 making people rethink the lengths of their supply chain, there is a groundswell of customers choosing suppliers closer to home.”

She went on to add: “Sales are up, and we’ve increased our core workforce to just over 65 people, nearly half of which have been sourced by MET as they know the culture of our business and the type of individuals that will fit what we are trying to achieve.

“We’ve worked with the agency for 14-years and they really have been incredible. Their advisors know our business better than anyone and this is reflected in the quality of staff they find and send to us. In the last six months alone, we’ve turned twenty temporary workers into permanent employees.”

Now in sixth-generation family ownership, Isaac H. Grainger’s has ambitious plans to build on the recent growth by diversifying its engineering expertise to look at new tubing products for UK and international opportunities.

Driving this strategy is investment in latest machinery and extensive growth and improvements at its Gawne Lane factory, as well as the pending launch of a more interactive website and proactive marketing campaigns.

“There’s no reason why we won’t have our best year in sales yet and we’ll need to constantly attract new talent,” added Rebecca, who is joined in the business by her father Robin, sister Amelia, uncle Ivan and cousin Nathan.

“This means we’ll need more operators, assembly line workers, maintenance technicians and customer service representatives to join the team, all roles that MET Recruitment have found for us in the past and will continue to supply.

“They were superb during the pandemic, and we’ve built a strategic partnership with them that stretches beyond the shopfloor and into working together to support the local communities we both operate in.

“Ultimately, we want people to join our Grainger family and have formed a concreate relationship with MET along the way.”

MET Recruitment’s Matthew Hunter added his support: “Isaac H Grainger’s was one of our first clients when Robin Tong set the business up in 2008 and I’m delighted we’re still supplying them with workers 14 years on.

“There’s a lot of issues with the labour market currently and firms are struggling with filling positions. Our 500-strong pool of candidates means we always have access to staff – at varying skills levels – to overcome these challenges and give clients real flexibility in their workforce.”

Originally set up to supply staff to the mechanical and electrical trades, MET Recruitment has gone from three people in a small office on the Pensnett Trading Estate to an 23-strong agency operating from a dedicated head office on Wolverhampton Street in Dudley and The Permanent Staffing Hub on the Waterfront.

Investment in its 360 degrees recruitment solution for clients and an industry-best support infrastructure for candidates has helped it secure a strong client base across engineering, manufacturing and professional services.