In a significant vote of confidence for our vision and long-term growth strategy, the UK Government has awarded 50% match funding to establish our new Innovation Lab.
Based at our Dudley site and jointly funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the first phase of testing and prototyping equipment will be installed and operational before the end of Q1 2026.
CEO Rob Lickley commented:
“This is a pivotal moment in our 55-year history. The level of development, prototyping and quality testing we will bring in-house will rival that of major multinationals. With advanced particle size analysis, XRF, dilatometry and ultrasonic testing, we’ll be able to provide far deeper insights into our products—supporting smarter material selection and strengthening the QA procedures we are already renowned for.”
The Innovation Lab will also push testing into more extreme environments, enabling assessment under varied atmospheres and higher-than-ever temperatures.
As part of this first phase, our prototyping capability will also take another major step forward with the installation of a large-format 3D printer.
Rob Lickley added:
“Thanks to exceptional Government support, we can proudly say that world-class manufacturing continues to thrive at the heart of the Black Country. This is just the beginning. We are already working with additional stakeholders to expand our research capabilities further as we move toward full Industry 4.0 integration.”
Together with other investments to be announced in Q1 2026, this represent a major commitment to building a more efficient, greener and more sustainable future for refractories production in Britain.
Our sincere thanks go to the following organisations for their belief in our vision.
