WPSi Group Limited were incorporated in 1976. They supply a variety of metal components to a broad range of manufacturing industries located in mainland Europe and the UK.
Their products include a range of tubular components to the automotive, rail and heat exchange industries and they also manufacture stainless steel and glass balustrades, and more recently, they have diversified into supplying composite decking.
As the COVID-19 pandemic saw many people wanting to make home improvements, the business saw potential within this market. The challenge for the business was to adjust their marketing strategy from the historic B2B markets to their newer B2C target markets. To assist with their business growth ambitions, they accessed support from the Manufacturing Growth Programme (MGP).
Helen Fortune, Manufacturing Growth Manager for the Black Country supported WPSi Group Limited with free tailored advice and MGP grant funding. The funding was used towards hiring an expert to produce a composite decking configurator, which would enable potential clients to design their own composite decking layout. This configurator includes choosing the type of deck board and colour, with a fully costed quotation document. This e-commerce availability is designed to increase their sales online by making their products more attractive and visible to the consumer’s eye.
Helen Fortune stated, “The timeliness of this project was key, so that WPSI could capture their target audience of homeowners looking to make home improvements whilst still in the mists of the pandemic and beyond. The real benefit of this type of configurator is that it enables the public to view the products and get a quotation & layout drawing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. WPSI have taken action to digitalise their sales, taking their accessibility to the next level.”
The business has already seen an increase in the level of enquiries from the decking configurator. The business has recruited additional staff to handle the level of enquiries and orders.
David Holder, CEO of WPSi Group Limited commented, “I would definitely recommend engaging with MGP because their support can make the difference between doing a project and not doing it.”
After the boost to their sales, the business is considering expanding their premises to accommodate their growth. The Directors are optimistic about the future of manufacturing in the UK. Although, they have been hit by the pandemic; they do believe that with organic growth and their new products, they will be able to achieve their turnover target of £7.5 million by the end of 2022.
More details on WPSi Group Limited will be available at www.wps-international.com
West Midlands Combined Authority