Family firm has right tools for job

An engineering company is bucking the trend of many manufacturing firms by selling its products into Eastern Europe – and going for major growth.

Lodent Precision is now coping with rising orders for its tooling from customers in both the UK and Europe and its tools are even being used to make parts for Toyota at the Japanese car giant's plant in the Czech Republic.

The company was started 30 years ago by Len Bates, the father of current director Jeff Bates. It was even named in an anagram after Len and his wife Dot: Lodent. The company was originally a moulding tool maker, making equipment for the manufacture of plastic parts.

But in the last four years Lodent has expanded to take on press tool work – one of the few companies to combine both sides of the toolmakers art.

Jeff Bates said: "We don't supply the big firms directly, we supply their suppliers with the tools to make those parts." As well as Toyota, Lodent tools have helped make parts for BMW, Audi, Land Rover and Jaguar.

But the company is now moving beyond the automotive sector to make tooling for the nuclear industry and the medical industry, making moulds to produce plastic facial parts for reconstructive surgery, such as chins, noses and eye sockets.

"It is all work that has to meet exacting standards," said Jeff Bates. "We are an engineering company but, increasingly, we are in the service industry – our job is to provide a service to our customers. That is what they are paying for."