A Birmingham manufacturer has sealed a £4m export order that will see it play a crucial role in developing the male grooming products of the future.
Brandauer, which employs 64 people at its world class factories in Newtown and Aldridge, will stamp ultra-thin stainless-steel components for use in disposable razors produced by LORD International in Egypt.
The new deal has initially created two toolmaker positions, as well as providing opportunities for the firm’s growing army of young apprentices to upskill on different types of emerging technology.
Rowan Crozier, CEO of Brandauer, commented: “In 2020, we pivoted into producing precision parts for healthcare companies and one of our biggest growth markets was making a critical ‘frame’ that went into razors for a customer in the Middle East.
“This proved to be a significant contract for us, leveraging a unique knowledge of stainless-steel stamping technology, developed in the plumbing industry, to successfully diversify into healthcare.
“From early successes here, we decided to tap into support from the Department for Business and Trade to spread the word about our capabilities and this directly led to the new opportunity in Egypt.”
He went on to add: “The two contracts combined will generate close to £1m of revenue every year for us, whether that is tooling for blade blanks or for the fames we stamp and supply for final assembly into razors.”
Diversification has been a critical part of the Brandauer ‘DNA’ for more than 163 years and during that time the company has evolved from manufacturing pen nibs to consumer electronic products, core automotive products and now to today’s eclectic mix of micron tolerance components for electrification, construction and healthcare.
The move into the male grooming arena has seen it invest nearly £800,000 into the creation of three dedicated production cells and the development of complex four-module progression tooling for LORD International.
New presses, ancillary equipment and a fully automated turnkey line have all been installed and this means the firm now designs the tooling needed to manufacture the frames and a cell capable of producing up to 500 razor frames every minute.
Established over 95 years ago, LORD International has evolved from the first blade manufacturer based in the Middle East to one of the top five wet shaving systems globally, with a workforce of 3500, serving 70 countries in five continents.
Mohamed Soliman, Chief Technical Officer, continued: “In an industry that thrives on ultra tolerances and where there is no room for second chances with the customer, Brandauer delivered all the answers to our concerns.
Some of Brandauer’s dedicated LORD International manufacturing team
“It’s a strategic manufacturing partnership that will only grow as we continue to bring new grooming products to market.”
Rowan, who is also an Export Champion for the Department for Trade and Business, went on to add: “There are so many opportunities in overseas markets for UK manufacturers, especially those of us who bring a USP or a defined capability that other global manufacturers can’t.
“Our work in Egypt takes us to 27 different countries that we currently export to, and this number will increase further in the next twelve months. It’s not always easy to trade internationally, but if you have enough belief in what you do it becomes possible.
“Also don’t be afraid to ask for help. We’ve worked closely with the Department for Business and Trade and the West Midlands Combined Authority to boost our social media marketing and to exhibit at key global events. This support has been invaluable in reaching new markets.”
Brandauer is one of only a select number of UK manufacturers to hold two King’s Award and Queen’s Award titles at the same time, with the company being recognised for innovation and its work in international trade.
For further information, please visit www.brandauer.co.uk or follow the company across its social media channels.
