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GJF Fabrications tells MP about growth

GJF Fabrications welcomed MP for Aldridge-Brownhills Wendy Morton to its manufacturing site to see at first hand and discuss the latest developments at the growing company.

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Mrs Morton was given a tour of the factory at The Chase Link in Lichfield Road, Brownhills, to find out how the business has benefited from a recent £5 million investment drive to implement world-class lean cellular manufacturing and robotics, making it the cost leader in the manufacture of large steel waste and recycling containers and home to the UK's biggest waste and recycling container production capacity.

GJF, which opened in 1988, designs and manufactures steel Hooklift containers, compactors and skips – with clients including leading national waste and recycling collection, disposal and treatment companies, offshore oil and gas services companies and local authorities.

Mrs Morton met with the company's chief executive Dr David Gillett, and praised GJF for continuing to invest and innovate throughout its 30 years in business.

"I was very pleased to be able to visit GJF in Brownhills and see at first hand the manufacturing facility. I was able to learn more about the production of resource containers. I was also very keen to hear more about how GJF is working in revolutionary ways to not only support the local economy but work to reduce emissions in supporting the Circular Economy. I had an excellent tour around the site and am especially grateful to GJF for taking the time to arrange this," she said.

Her tour included seeing how the containers are designed and manufactured from start to finish, and how innovative new products such as the new Qualitainer help customers achieve Government recycling policy objectives such as reducing the contamination of recyclable materials, generating substantial added value in the UK's circular economy.

Dr Gillett said: "I was delighted to explain to Wendy how GJF has become the market leader and the innovation leader in the UK's emerging circular economy."

We have achieved this by implementing world class manufacturing systems and processes, modern equipment, and through investment in our own employees, most of whom live locally. For example, we are in the midst of a cell leader coaching and development programme facilitated by RPO.

"Cell leaders are the linchpins of success in our business and I'm pleased to say that all of them have stepped up into the roles from shop floor operators' positions."

Dr Gillett also expressed his desire to see new opportunities for growth in the circular economy and highlighted the key role central government can play

"The Government's Sharing in Growth programmes for aerospace and nuclear would be highly valued in the wider SME engineering sector as they would assist the achievement of world class customer service, quality and productivity to secure Britain's future success as an exporting nation.

"This needs to be coupled with high quality commercial and foreign language education to make sure Britain is better equipped than rivals such as Germany and France to do business with growing Asia economies, most notably China, Japan, Malaysia and Indonesia," he added.

GJF plays a pivotal role in the local community, employing over 100 people, investing in local sports clubs, and continuing to promote growth in the area with a strong focus on investment and continuous professional development to meet the needs of the globally competitive workplace.

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