This week we throw our #madeinsandwell Monday spotlight on a West Bromwich engineering company with roots that go back to 1857.

Ash & Lacy manufactures products and systems for global construction, automotive, aerospace, acoustic and audio markets. Its products include engineered facade and roofing systems for the architectural sector, such as the distinctive wave-form roof of Sandwell College. It also makes fasteners, load bearing components and accessories, as well as having its own in-house design, engineering analysis and testing facilities.

The company was founded in Smethwick over 150 years ago when John Pierce Lacy joined Joseph Ash’s fledgeling engineering business. In 1993 it moved to Hill Top Industrial Estate in West Bromwich, and then in 2017 the firm invested £750,000 in its powder coating facility and current headquarters on Bromford Lane.

In recent years Ash & Lacy has been moving steadily up our Top 50 Fastest Growing Companies Index. In 2017 it was 31st on the list, 27th in 2018 and this year it leapt to 14th place with a 26.9 per cent growth in annual turnover. The group’s annual turnover now exceeds £50m and employs over 350 staff across eight UK sites and a facility in Cape Town, South Africa.

Looking to the future, Ash & Lacy’s chairman and CEO Dr Jonathan Evans expects the company’s growth to continue as its market share increases. “We continue to respond to dynamic industry developments,” he said. “We expect to see an increased demand for offsite modular manufacturing and growth opportunities for our business in this specific sector.”

#madeinsandwell Monday is a celebration of the talent and diversity within our borough. If you’re interested in being considered for a #madeinsandwell Monday profile and having information about your organisation shared on Think Sandwell and through Twitter, read this.