Historic Cradley Heath business A Perry has secured a £7.3m finance deal to modernise its production facilities and support ambitious expansion plans.

The funding, from HSBC UK, will be used to introduce cutting edge robotics technology, smart manufacturing and automated warehousing to A Perry’s Doulton Road operations. As we reported in March 2017, the company expanded into premises next to its original factory two years ago, and is now looking at ways to integrate both sites in order to meet increased demand.

A Perry is the UK’s largest independent manufacturer and supplier of hinges and hardware. Nearly a century after it was established in Cradley Heath in 1925, the company is owned and run by the founder’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren. As well as its thousands of trade customers, A Perry has also supplied Buckingham Palace, Wembley Stadium, HS2 and Warner Brothers film studios and landed a contract with Aardman Animations to produce Shaun the Sheep statuettes (read more in our #madeinsandwell Monday feature from 2018).

It is hoped that this latest finance deal will enable the company to streamline and expand production capabilities, reduce manufacturing costs and improve time to market. The ambitious aim is to double turnover over the next four years, at the same time generating more jobs for the local area. A new £1.25m trade finance facility will also help increase imports from China and India, expanding the supply chain and reaching new markets in Europe and the USA.

Speaking to the Express & Star, Guy Perry, managing director at A Perry, said: “We’ve always been a company that isn’t afraid to innovate and move with the times and this is no exception.” Keith Webb, deputy regional director at HSBC UK, added: “It is really exciting to see a family firm with such a long history evolve and embrace some of the benefits offered by the latest technology.”

Think Sandwell wishes A Perry all the best for its modernisation plans. To find out how we can help your business grow, visit our Business Services pages.