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Gateshead manufacturer Gate 7 to create 30 jobs with expansion into India

2025-04-09 05:44:49 By

Gate 7 is launching a new manufacturing plant in India

A Tyneside manufacturer has expanded its global footprint by opening a new base in India.

Gateshead-based Gate 7, which makes self-adhesive labels and screen prints for construction, agricultural and industrial equipment and vehicles, was set up in 2000 and also has a base in Pennsylvania, US, offering printing services. The firm, which has 65 staff based in the UK and 60 in US, has now grown its global operations by launching a new 15,000 sq ft manufacturing plant in Pune, India.

Bosses said the new facility will play an integral part in Gate 7’s international growth strategy and the company is also recruiting a further 30 employees to support its broadened customer base. The family firm initially focused on the off highway market and later expanded into the agriculture, construction, industrial and rental markets, diversification which has seen the business add international organisations including JCB, Volvo, Hitachi, Komatsu and Bobcat to its client list.

A recruitment drive is now under way for staff ahead of the plant’s launch this autumn.

Harry Wickham, managing director of Gate 7, said: “We are immensely proud to be opening our new manufacturing plant in India. It is a very important milestone in the Gate 7 journey as the facility will provide a gateway for us to connect with our customers across the globe and continue to grow alongside them.

“A lot of the organisations we work with have an international presence with multiple locations, and although cultures may change, the brand remains. We therefore strive to develop products and solutions that enhance safety, market their brand and improve equipment aesthetics.

“Our new plant will enable us to offer an even better service to our existing customers in India, as well as providing a platform for growth in this expanding market. Production is due to start in October and we are in the process of employing a talented team to help drive innovation, which will be headed up by our plant manager, Ajay Kumar.”

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Manufacturing2025-04-09 05:44:49

Pragmatic Semiconductor points to progress as losses widen amid significant investment

Losses have widened at chip manufacturer Pragmatic Semiconductor as investment into its North East production lines continues. New accounts for the flexible chip specialist, which has pioneered low cost integrated circuits that are thinner than a human hair, show it incurred operating losses of more than £36.7m across 2023, a 62% rise on the previous year. That came on increased revenue of £1.7m, up from £1.5m. Bosses described significant progress made throughout the year and said the losses are expected to continue until the firm increases production at its new Durham factory on the 15-acre Pragmatic Park site, the initial stages of which were completed last year housing its second fabrication line in addition to an existing facility at NETpark. Pragmatic, which has headquarters in Cambridge and employs about 240 people, is hoping to produce more than five billion chips per year on the line at a much lower cost to existing silicon products. Read more: Inside Nissan's Sunderland factory as the new Qashqai rolls off the production line Read more: £1bn battery storage project poised to take shape at Teesworks The numbers follow a £182m equity fundraise announced in December and including the backing of investors M&G Catalyst and the UK Infrastructure Bank. Pragmatic has called the move the largest European semiconductor venture raise ever, with the money earmarked for expansion of Pragmatic Park and the potential creation of hundreds of jobs. Pragmatic's flexible semiconductors are put to a wide range of uses including in trackable packaging, within wearable health monitors and in pharmaceutical authentication systems. Bosses have their eye on a future $50bn global market with Pragmatic suggesting the chips could be embedded in just about any object. In recent days the Government has announced a UK Semiconductor Institute, backed with £1bn, which will act as a conduit between the Government, universities and manufacturers to build strength in UK production. It will help implement the National Semiconductor Strategy which includes support for identified British strengths in compound chips, design and research and development. Responding to the creation of the Institute, David Moore, CEO of Pragmatic said: "We were delighted to complete the largest European semiconductor venture raise in December 2023, co-led by UK Infrastructure Bank and M&G, with 70% of the round coming from UK investors. This funding will accelerate continued expansion of our manufacturing capacity in the North East of England taking volume from billions of flexible integrated circuits (FlexICs) to tens of billions per year.

Manufacturing2025-04-09 05:44:49

'Flying the flag for British manufacturing ' - trenchless tech business Brewis Engineering sold

A manufacturer whose hi-tech products are used to help lay cables around the world has undergone a buyout - and its new owners have vowed to keep “flying the flag” for British manufacturing. Brewis Engineering was founded by Rod Brewis in his garden shed in 1984 and has grown into a global success story, with its trenchless technology equipment used to lay cables and pipes in the water, oil and gas and utility industries. Brewis, which has 16 staff and is based in Frome, exports across Europe, the United States and Canada as well as to New Zealand and Australia, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, South Africa and India. Now business partners Graham Edden and Pat Farrell have acquired Brewis Engineering in a deal backed by WeDo Business Services. The value of the deal has not been disclosed. New managing director Graham is an investor and business leader who has run companies in sectors including automotive, hospitality and waste management.New commercial director Pat has spent most of his working life in the trenchless and construction industries. The deal provides an exit for Rod Brewis and his wife Sheila, who served as company secretary. Paula Fitch has retired as commercial director, while operations director Michael Rudd will stay with the business. Graham said: “Brewis Engineering is renowned and respected throughout the world for its innovative, market-leading products. Rod and the team have laid a tremendous platform for us to build on and capitalise on the opportunities for growth, especially in the US but also in other territories. “With the help of our fantastic and loyal workforce, we are looking to expand our manufacturing capacity and develop new products to provide sustainable growth over the coming years. “Some of the staff have been with the company for more than 25 years, having served their apprenticeships with us, and there is a wealth of knowledge, skillsets and ideas among the team for us to harness and achieve our goals. “We have some of the best engineers in the world here in the UK. The country’s design and manufacturing sector has a bright outlook despite the challenging economic headwinds, and we are proud to be playing our part in flying the flag.” He added: “We are excited to be taking a prestigious brand in the trenchless technology sector forward, using our extensive business and sector experience to support our customers and seize new opportunities.” Rebekah Middleton and Jim McDonnell at WeDo Business Services in Oldham arranged a funding package for the buyout. Rebekah said: “We were pleased to provide a package which enabled Graham and Pat to swiftly complete the acquisition once they engaged us. The founders and vendors, Rod and Sheila Brewis, have traded very successfully for 40 years and we wish them, Graham and Pat and the entire team all the very best for the future.” David Gledhill, Rachael Killworth and Jenny Chapman, of the asset-based lending team at law firm Bermans, provided advice and support to WeDo. James Young and Helen Carter at Harding Evans Solicitors, based in South Wales, advised Graham and Pat on the acquisition. Financial due diligence was carried out by Marcel Frei, of GMT Finances.

Manufacturing2025-04-09 05:44:49

Private equity firm Traditum backs MBO at Entaco

A medical product manufacturer has undergone a management buyout backed by a private equity firm. Redditch-based Entaco has been taken over by its senior team in a deal supported by a £1 million investment from Leeds-based private equity firm Traditum. Entaco can trace its roots back over 200 years and today comprises three divisions - John James Needles and Entaco Medical Devices, which are both based in Redditch, and Redditch Medical which is based in County Durham and specialises in cleaning chemicals for the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. The business has a strong international presence, exporting more than 80 per cent of its products to the US, Europe and Asia. Traditum's investment has supported consideration to the former shareholders and will also provide additional growth capital, enabling Entaco to invest heavily in machinery that will improve efficiencies and personnel. BusinessLive is your home for business news from around the country - and you can stay in touch with all the latest news through our email alerts. You can sign up to receive morning news bulletins from every region we cover and to weekly email bulletins covering key economic sectors from manufacturing to technology and enterprise. And we'll send out breaking news alerts for any stories we think you can't miss. Visit our email preference centre to sign up to all the latest news from BusinessLive. The buyout was led by Entaco's managing director Steve Brown who will assume the role of group chief executive to drive the business forward as it targets over 50 per cent revenue growth to £15 million. In addition, Matthew Chaloner has joined the senior executive team as chief financial officer, bringing 12 years of experience in the manufacturing sector at Howle Holdings, a UK-based group of engineering companies. Entaco's board has been further enhanced with a number of senior hires including experienced entrepreneur Alistair Needler and former senior NatWest banker Richard Topliss as non-executive directors. Mr Brown said "I'm thrilled to announce the successful completion of the management buyout of Entaco and Redditch Medical. "This milestone marks a significant achievement for us, solidifying our commitment to growth and innovation within our industries. "Our vision for the future is to continue to provide high-quality products but it's also about enhancing our product range, service and capabilities to better serve our customers and the industry. "I'm immensely proud of our team for their dedication and hard work throughout this process and I'm excited about the opportunities that lie ahead as we embark on this new chapter." Traditum's head of investments Iain Marlow has also joined Entaco's board. He added: "The Entaco Group has represented the best of British design and manufacturing for over 200 years. "The group has remained relevant in the 21st century through innovation and a reputation for quality and service. "These qualities have been nurtured under the leadership of Steve Brown and his team and Traditum is proud to be able to support him and the business in the next phase of their growth story."

Manufacturing2025-04-09 05:44:49

Nissan road tests self driving technology with eyes on 2027 for market launch

Automotive giant Nissan has started road demonstrations of its own driverless technology, with a view to selling the services within several years. The Japanese manufacturer has showcased the tech on roads around its Yokohama headquarters ahead of plans to launch the systems to the market in 2027. Pictures have been released of a Nissan Leaf model equipped with 14 cameras, 10 radars and 6 LIDAR (light detection and ranging) sensors showing it driving through busy and complex roads in the city, south of Tokyo. The latest prototype features a large, roof-mounted system which incorporates sensors that expand the car's field of vision - making detection of its surroundings more accurate. Nissan says the advances have helped it improve the systems' ability to predict behaviours of pedestrians and other road users, make judgements, as well as enhance its overall control for a smoother ride. Read more: National Grid work paves the way for Sunderland gigafactories Read more: Arriva takeover by American investment group I Squared completes Technicians at the global manufacturer say the prototype has been able to safely change lanes when merging and judge when to drive into intersections. It follows autonomous drive testing in London, where Nissan has received UK Government support. The results are the culmination of several years' work, with Nissan saying it has studied business models for 'future mobility services' since its 2017 fiscal year. It now intends to build the functionality and to begin offering the autonomous drive services, initially in Japan, by 2027. Later this year it will start trials in the Minato Mirai area in Yokohama with further plans to carry out service demonstration tests within fiscal year 2025. The plan is to gradually increase the autonomous features of the systems as it builds customer confidence. Nissan said the work is being carried out in close cooperation with the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry; Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism; and other central ministries. A number of other major manufacturers have been developing autonomous driving systems, including Toyota, which has invested substantially in software development and research in the US. The sector's poster child, Tesla, has worked on autopilot and self driving technologies while General Motors-owned Cruise has developed self driving systems with Honda signalling it could bring hands free, driving assist features to the US market by 2030.

Manufacturing2025-04-09 05:44:49

Chamberlain starts insolvency process

A Black Country engineering group has commenced a liquidation process which could threaten around 160 jobs. Walsall-based specialist castings and machining group Chamberlain said the move had come following a winding-up notice being issued by the company's main power supplier. In a statement to the stock exchange, the listed company said discussions had been ongoing with its creditors and major shareholders about its plight. Email newsletters BusinessLive is your home for business news from across the West Midlands including Birmingham, the Black Country, Solihull, Coventry and Staffordshire. Click through here to sign up for our email newsletter and also view the broad range of other bulletins we offer including weekly sector-specific updates. We will also send out 'Breaking News' emails for any stories which must be seen right away. LinkedIn For all the latest stories, views and polls, follow our BusinessLive West Midlands LinkedIn page here. It said: "Despite the cost-reduction actions and wholesale customer price increases implemented across the group, the group is under increased pressure from other creditors and its bank, has lost further sales revenue and is unable to secure additional funding of the scale and form required. "The board of directors has therefore regrettably resolved to commence an insolvency process. Further announcements will be made in due course as appropriate." This latest development follows the announcement on May 7 that Chamberlin was suspending trading its shares on the AIM exchange. Chief executive Kevin Price added: "Following the company's announcement on May 7 and the subsequent discussions with creditors, customers and shareholders, we do not have a funding solution that provides the necessary liquidity in the time we have available.

Manufacturing2025-04-09 05:44:49

Prima Cheese expands into London amid ambitions to grow overseas trade

Food firm Prima Cheese has expanded into London with a new office and retail space amid efforts to boost international trade. The County Durham dairy specialist, which specialises in shredded cheese for pizza toppings, has opened new premises in north London via its property company Prima Projects. 'Prima South' is located on Islington's Holloway Road in The Billiard Factory property which is home to a number of creative businesses and adjacent to the National Youth Theatre. It says the move is part of plans for growth in 2024, including pursuing more overseas trade opportunity. Prima already exports to 50 countries and in 2023 generated turnover of more than £18.7m outside of the UK. Read more: North East betting tech firm AceOdds snapped up in £36m deal by Danish group Read more: Electric powertrain specialist Saietta failed with deficit of £2.89m, administrators say Last year Prima featured for the fifth time in the North East's Fastest 50 list of fast-growing, privately owned businesses. It also reported "change and innovation" across the business as it invested amid a rise in turnover. In the year to March 31, 2023 it grew turnover by 32% to £121.7m. Over the same period, operating profit fell to £3.7m from more than £5m, though the firm grew its headcount slightly to 166. The acquisition of the Prima South space was advised by Sintons' partner Alok Loomba, partner, supported by Chris Jackson, senior associate. Mr Loomba, a long time advisor to Prima, said: "Prima Cheese was founded in 1996 and since then it’s grown to become one of the UK’s leading cheese processing businesses, exporting to countries around the globe. Prima’s is a real success story and the acquisition of this new site in London marks a significant milestone in its growth, opening doors to new markets in the UK and beyond.” Nagma Ebanks-Beni, co-CEO of Prima Cheese, said: "More than 25 years ago, Prima started operating out of a small industrial unit in County Durham; but we had big plans and today we’re one of the largest exporters in the North East. Our new London base is a key part of our growth strategy and Alok and his team moved quickly to help us secure the premises we wanted in what was a competitive and fast-moving environment."

Manufacturing2025-04-09 05:44:49

AIM-listed manufacturer sees profits dive as demand reduces

A South West optical components manufacturer has blamed a reduction in demand for a slump in profits. AIM-listed Gooch and Housego (G&H) reported adjusted profit before tax of £2.6m for the six months to March 31, 2024 - down from £4.7m the year previously. The business, which has UK offices in Ilminster in Somerset, Torquay in Devon, Denbighshire in Wales, and Plympton in Plymouth, also saw revenue fall to £63.6m from £64.5m in the first half of 2023. However, G&H said its order book "remained strong” at £115.8m - up from £115.3m in September 2023 - and was continuing to grow. It said this would “substantially" de-risk revenue in the second half. Charlie Peppiatt, chief executive officer of Gooch & Housego, said: "Despite the reduced demand in our industrial and medical laser markets persisting longer than expected, the medium term outlook remains positive underpinned by a strong order book and healthy pipeline with the group well positioned to benefit from increased demand levels as a result of operational and supply chain improvements. "The market dynamics for G&H's technologies and capabilities remains strong in all our target sectors supported by the focused progress the group has made to establish the foundations to accelerate the delivery of our strategy.” Like this story? Why not sign up to get the latest South West business news straight to your inbox. The group announced an interim dividend of 4.9p per share - marginally up on the 4.8p issued in the first half of 2023.

Manufacturing2025-04-09 05:44:49

Stelrad warns of slowing sales but sees signs of recovery in core countries

Radiator group Stelrad has warned of a decline in sales around the world but says it is seeing “early signs of recovery” in some countries. The Newcastle-based firm, which has its main manufacturing base in South Yorkshire, has released a trading update ahead of its annual general meeting, saying that trading this year has been in line with management expectations. Stelrad said in March that subdued new build and renovation activity in the housing market, caused by high inflation and interest rates, had impacted on its sales, with revenues down 12.9% on a like-for-like basis. In today’s trading update, the company said that its “end markets remain challenging, with further year on year volume declines across most geographies.” But it said that it was seeing “early signs of recovery in some core territories” and that its financial performance remained strong, thanks in part to cost savings undertaken last year. Chief executive Trevor Harvey said: “Stelrad has had an encouraging start to 2024 with management’s experience, aided by the flexibility of our business model, helping to successfully navigate ongoing tough market conditions while underpinning our confidence in delivering on our full year expectations. “Having further consolidated our place as market leader of both the steel panel radiator category and the hydronic heat emitter market across Europe, the UK and Turkey, Stelrad’s initiative to expand its portfolio of higher margin, higher heat output radiators, which have a long-term role to play in the delivery of lower carbon domestic heating, has driven a 6% increase in Stelrad UK’s first quarter 2024 average heat output per radiator, relative to the prior year. This has had a positive impact on both average selling price per radiator and margin percentage. “The group remains well positioned for market recovery and the structural tailwinds from decarbonisation. We are confident in our ability to continue growing market share and delivering long-term, increasing value for all our stakeholders.” Stelrad, which can trace its history back to the 1930s, employs around 1,300 people worldwide, with bases in the UK, Italy, the Netherlands, Denmark and Poland. It is the leading radiator seller in the UK, Ireland, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and Greece. The company listed in the Stock Exchange in 2021.

Manufacturing2025-04-09 05:44:49

Electric powertrain specialist Saietta failed with deficit of £2.89m, administrators say

Electric motor maker Saietta's Sunderland operation collapsed with a deficit of £2.89m, new documents show. The developer of powertrain systems for smaller electric vehicles such as scooters and rickshaws called in administrators earlier this year after failing to find a buyer amid cashflow issues. Bosses took the decision after an anticipated contract to build electrical steering pumps at the firm's Wearside site fell through and start dates for other pieces of work were delayed. The difficulties came only months after AIM-listed Saietta secured £6.5m in equity funding - a sum that was expected to give it enough working capital to continue trading to March this year. Further fundraising was expected after the new work commenced, but on March 4 chairman Tony Gott announced to shareholders that while there had been genuine interest in the business, no viable offers were made which would allow it to continue trading. Read more: Inside Nissan's Sunderland factory as the new Qashqai rolls off the production line Read more: North East appliances manufacturer Ebac signals 'significant' drop in trade Accounts for the wider Saietta Group, covering the year to the end of March 2023, show operating losses of £19.3m on revenue of £2.1m. Having acquired the former ZF factory at Houghton-le-Spring in 2021, and taken on some of the firm's staff, Saietta aimed to build on its research and development activity to produce up to 100,000 electric propulsion motors each year. But with a sale process having failed, insolvency specialists from EY were appointed at the same time Saietta confirmed its shares on the London Stock Exchange would be suspended. At the time, Mr Gott said: "Despite all other aspects of the business remaining in progress and following major restructuring throughout the business over the last 12 months we were unable to provide the capital required, on a timely basis, to complete the journey to bring the Group to a self-financing position." Newly published documents covering show a list of around 23 creditors owed more than £3.1m, including a majority owed to other Saietta Group companies. The administrators estimate a deficiency of around £2.89m. A separate progress report, made public earlier this month, includes detail on the lead up to the collapse. Administrators at EY said: "Initially a discreet marketing process was commenced, limited to six parties, following guidance in respect of the AIM rules. However, by February 22 2024, with no immediate proceedable interest from the initial process, the directors of Saietta Group Plc decided to open the process to the wider market and a regulatory news service announcement (RNS) was issued stating that the group was undertaking a formal review of its strategic options, as without further funding the group was at risk of becoming insolvent.

Manufacturing2025-04-09 05:44:49

Plastic parts manufacturer merges with 100-year-old firm

A Somerset-founded plastic parts manufacturer has merged with a 100-year-old Worcestershire moulding business. Merriott Plastics was founded in the South West and now has factories in Crewkerne and Rochester, in Kent, while Talisman’s plant is based in Malvern. The firms said the new multi-site business would deliver product development, manufacturing, logistics and technical support, particularly in the Midlands, South West and South East regions. Shaun Champion of Talisman - known as LGG Charlesworth until 2018 - and Andrew Lawrence of Merriott Plastics will jointly lead the new business. Mr Lawrence said: “We are truly delighted to announce this historic merger, bringing both these industry names together in the service of our customers and for UK manufacturing, while also honouring the legacy tradition that has brought us together.” Merriott Mouldings began operations in Merriott, Somerset, in 1938, and ICM in Rochester in 1947. Both companies are members of the British Plastics Federation. Law firm Wilkes facilitated the merger on behalf of Merriott Plastics. Rick Smyth, partner at Wilkes, said: “We are delighted to work with Merriott again. This deal showcases our commitment to developing long-lasting client relationships and our capability to deliver significant transactions.” The Wilkes corporate team working on the deal included Rick Smyth, partner; Lucy Freeman, senior associate; and Matt Workman, solicitor. The Wilkes real estate team included partner Mark Hodgson and senior associate Leighann Richards.