Recession-hit foundry boosted by China deal

A Black Country foundry that struggled through the recession with a loss of 35 jobs has landed a contract to supply car parts to China.

Bosses at Chamberlin & Hill in Walsall, which manufactures castings for vehicles, said the contract with firm Eaton marked its success in coming through the downturn.

The news comes just days after the 120-year-old foundry won an Express & Star manufacturing award sponsored by Manufacturing Advisory Service — West Midlands (MAS-WM).

Championing local businesses, the award was presented by Black Country historian Professor Carl Chinn.

David Wilson, general manager at the Chuckery Road plant, which produces parts for top luxury models including BMW and Porsche, said it was the first deal struck with China.

He said: "The business has come out of the recession and we have got business with a number of companies.

"Eaton is one of those and they have asked us to supply to China.

"This is an example that we have come out of the recession strongly and are cautiously optimistic."

The value of the new contract has not been revealed.

The company has also been adding to its management team, with Mr Wilson among the new arrivals.

He joined in September 2010 after 30 years working for other motoring manufacturers in the region.

The firm was reduced to a three-day week in a re-structuring programme to help it weather the economic storm, but work has been gradually increased and recently went back full-time, with overtime shifts also added.

Bosses say the weakness of the pound has also helped with 80 per cent of Chamberlin's products heading for the export markets.

The historic firm is well-known in the Black Country for its heritage.

Its factory was set up in 1890 as an iron foundry business that specialised in thin-section castings used in toy-making, electrical switchgear and domestic hardware.

Today the firm has operations at Chuckery, Leicester and Scunthorpe, and can supply technically complex iron castings ranging from 1kg to 5,000kg to a wide variety of markets.