Pre-Met

Pre-Met tools up with £150,000 wire erosion investment

Pre-Met — 03/02/2026

More than £150,000 is being channelled into extending the in-house toolroom at Redditch- based Pre-Met, as it explores significant new contracts in transport and defence.

The metal pressing and stamping specialist has rubber stamped investment into
another Agie Charmilles wire erosion machine to broaden its capacity and provide the capability to produce larger tools and achieve more precise cuts.

Expansion comes just a few months after the completion of a £500,000 investment drive at its Studley Road factory in Redditch, which supported the successful integration of Quality Springs & Pressings into the site and business.
“I like to think of our toolroom as the heartbeat of the business and it’s arguably one of the most experienced in our sector,” commented Toolroom Manager Matt Harrison, who recently celebrated 20 years of service at the firm.

“This latest investment will deepen the equipment available in this critical department, delivering faster turnaround times, greater control on complex tooling builds and, importantly, the opportunity for us to undertake more development to do more of our own tooling. “
He continued: “The latter is really important, as we’re beginning to see enquiries come in from the defence, construction and transport sectors that require us to be involved in the design stage, from early concept onwards.

“Our wire erosion machine will dovetail into our existing tool room, alongside other existing machines and perfectly complements existing soft machining, surface grinding and cylindrical grinding equipment, as well as wire and spark erosion and fast hole burning.”

Pre-Met is striving for a renaissance in the craft of tool making, recently taking on a tool maker and currently hiring for a new tooling design engineer to boost its skilled workforce. As the business expands, the tool room team remains key to supporting and maintaining production effectiveness and provides the platform for the business to reinforce its established service of press tool manufacture, refurbishment and adaption/upgrade, from design through to finished trials and into production.

James Leng, Managing Director of Pre-Met, went on to add: “The additional equipment and team growth has been driven by us winning new contracts. This drove the need for additional capacity to service and maintain over 500 active press/stamping tools that are used for client contracts, alongside a further 100 used to produce our own standard product range of fasteners and fixings.
“There’s a real sense of excitement in the toolroom and I know everyone is looking forward to seeing where the business goes from here.”

It has recently passed all the criteria and compliance checks required to be listed on JOSCAR, a global best practice supplier portal used by thousands of major OEMs, tier 1s and supply chain companies across the UK and Europe.
For further information, please visit www.metalpressingsandstampings.co.uk
or follow the company across its social media channels.

Redditch engineer retires after 50 years on the shopfloor

Pre-Met — 18/09/2026

An engineer is hanging up his micrometre after spending more than five decades on the shopfloor.

Gerry Dunne, who started his working career as an apprentice toolmaker with Brandauer in Birmingham in 1976, will retire as Operations Director of Pre-Met in Redditch at the end of this month.

He has spent the last seven years supporting the growth of the metal stampings and pressing specialist, upgrading its manufacturing operations and integrating the recent acquisition of Quality Springs and Pressings.

The industry veteran has used his hand-on leadership style to champion lean manufacturing and just-in-time processes, helping the firm achieve more than £3m of new orders across automotive, rail and, more recently, defence.

“I’ve seen and lived through a lot of changes in industry over the last fifty years,” explained Gerry, who was named as Midlands Champion Toolmaker by the Engineering Industry Training Board in 1979.

“We’ve had the move to the internet, the great global crash, Brexit and the pandemic – all presenting their own challenges and all underlining the resilience that makes UK manufacturing so special.

“I’m a firm believer that we have some of the best engineering talent in the world and I’m as passionate about the sector today as I was when I first started back in 1976, leaving school with no qualifications but a desire to do something practical.”

He continued: “It has been a fantastic 50 years. I’ve made so many lifelong friends and been involved in manufacturing businesses that make products we use in everyday life.

“Pre-Met has been a fantastic way to sign-off. Working with the senior management team, we’ve modernised processes, invested in new capacity and developed the workforce so we are in an excellent position to push forward and grow.”

Gerry started his industrial career in 1976 as an apprentice toolmaker at Brandauer, spending nine years learning his trade and honing his skills, including designing a multi-stage progression tool capable of operating at 1000 strokes per minute!

From there, he took a trip a few miles up the road in Birmingham to join the tooling division of Westley Richards & Co, working his way to Managing Director of Westley Engineering by 2008.

This involved the relocation of the business to a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Newtown and involvement in the Manufacturing Assembly Network, a role that saw him become Chairman for two years and a passionate advocate for industry through numerous national media opportunities.

His final role before Pre-Met was at Kienle & Spiess, where he oversaw expansion to £20m and a host of successful collaborative projects across sites in Germany and Hungary.

Gerry, who received a special gift to mark his 50 years in the sector, added: “Industry has given me a fantastic career, and I want to get that message out loud and clear, especially to young people who are considering what to do next after school or college.

“There’s not many jobs you can travel the world making products that boost mobility, save lives and power new renewable energy sources.”

Pre-Met Managing Director James Leng concluded: “Gerry has been a fantastic addition to our business and has helped us create a factory that is now fit for purpose and with the additional capacity required to go after many new opportunities.

“He has also been a brilliant ambassador for industry, giving his time to speak on important issues affecting our sector and, importantly, going out his way to mentor the next generation. 50 years on the shopfloor is some achievement, now time to relax in the garden!”

For further information, please visit www.metalpressingsandstampings.co.uk or follow the company across its social media channels.

JOSCAR approval sparks multi-million pound opportunity for Pre-Met

Pre-Met — 03/06/2025

A Redditch-based metal pressing and stamping specialist is targeting a £multi-million opportunity in aerospace, automotive and defence after it was approved by a major industry buying portal. Pre-Met, which recently completed the acquisition of Quality Springs & Pressings, has passed all the criteria and compliance checks required to be listed on JOSCAR, a global best practice supplier portal used by thousands of major OEMs, tier1s and supply chain companies across the UK and Europe.

The company’s impressive 100% on-time-in-full delivery performance, outstanding quality scores and commitment to environmental and health and safety best practice saw it pass all the stringent checks and the firm is now looking to increase sales with existing and new customers using the platform. “There is a definitive move to industry using online portals more for purchasing decisions as they do a lot of the hard work in terms of quality checking and approving suppliers,” explained Steve Delaney, Business Development Director at Pre-Met. “JOSCAR is one of the most widely used platforms and, from the research we’ve undertaken, we genuinely believe being listed on there will generate £millions of new quoting opportunities for the business, a lot of which will be in our new target market of defence.”

He continued: “The portal promotes competitive responses to work packages and design solutions, as well as grouping work packages in consortia approaches – these can be very lucrative. “Membership is not a given. To be eligible you must demonstrate strong quality performance and a proven financial track record, as well as holding major industry accreditations, such as TS16949 (automotive), AS9100 (aerospace), ISO14001 (Environmental) and ISO45001 (Health and Safety). It’s another really important badge of approval for us.”

Operating from Redditch since 1973, Pre-Met originally made high-value pens, cufflinks and telecommunication parts, with today’s company evolving into a critical, quality-assured supplier to aerospace, mobility, medtech, construction, electrical and transport sectors, shipping its components to customers across the world. Consistent investment in new technology and workforce development has seen it become a metal pressings and assembly specialist, offering a full product lifecycle from concept and design to prototyping and low, medium and high-volume production. The acquisition of Quality Springs & Pressings will take the total workforce to 60, with the transfer of production machinery and equipment to the company’s Studley Road site being completed over the next two months.

It will broaden the group’s capacity to include more wire form and spring manufacturing expertise, additional presses, as well as embedding new robot and manual welding capabilities, as the enlarged business aims to increase revenues towards £10 million. James Leng, Managing Director of Pre-Met, concluded: “JOSCAR is another avenue for us to explore as we look to grow the company both organically and through future acquisitions that complement our existing services and products.

“Automotive, aerospace and construction have always been big markets for us, but we now have the technology and capability to make medium and high-volume pressings, assemblies and wire forms for use in defence. With spending set to rocket in this arena, there is a great opportunity to bring some of this work to Worcestershire.”

For further information, please visit www.metalpressingsandstampings.co.uk or follow the company across its social media channels.

Pre-Met presses on with QSP acquisition

Pre-Met — 02/05/2025

One of the UK’s leading metal pressings and stamping specialists has set its sights on growth after sealing its latest strategic acquisition. Pre-Met, which operates from a 50,000 sq ft factory in Redditch, has purchased nearby Quality Springs & Pressings (QSP) in a deal that will help it increase market share in the automotive, construction, environmental and transport markets. All 16 staff are being retained to take the total workforce to 60, with the transfer of production machinery and equipment to the company’s Studley Road site being completed over the next three months.

The acquisition broadens the group’s capacity to include more wire form and spring manufacturing expertise, additional presses, as well as embedding new robot and manual welding capabilities, as it looks to increase revenues toward its targeted revenue milestone of £10 million. “This is a very important strategic move for our business and creates a host of exciting opportunities to offer our customers additional manufacturing processes and assemblies all under one roof,” explained James Leng, Managing Director of Pre-Met. “QSP has a fantastic track record and strong client base, which was a major attraction for us, and we will only improve this through the support of our quality accreditation team, technical/design specialists and our comprehensive on-site tooling shop.”

He continued: “This is just the first deal. Over the next twelve months we’ll be embarking on an ambitious acquisition drive that will bolt on complementary manufacturing businesses that give us access to new technologies, new markets and new products.” Operating from Redditch since 1973, Pre-Met originally made high-value pens, cufflinks and telecommunication parts, with today’s company evolving into a critical, quality-assured supplier to aerospace, mobility, medtech, construction, electrical and transport sectors, shipping its components to customers across the world.

Consistent investment in new technology and workforce development has seen it become a metal pressings and assembly specialist, offering a full product lifecycle from concept and design to prototyping and low, medium and high-volume production. The firm can also provide a tool transfer facility for companies looking to shorten supply chains or reshore work back to the UK. James went on to add: “QSP’s parts are relied upon by globally renowned OEMs and 1st tier
suppliers with operations both in the UK and overseas. We are now looking to extend our quality assurance accreditations to support us winning new business in the EU.

“As part of the deal, Director Steve Delaney joins the Pre-Met leadership team to explore business development opportunities and strategic customer relationships. He has over 28 years’ experience in this arena and a comprehensive understanding of what clients require – this is a skill set I’m sure will be very beneficial to the group.” Advisers to the acquisition were Higgs LLP, Kreston Reeves Accountants and Metro HR. For further information, please visit www.metalpressingsandstampings.co.uk or follow the company across its social media channels.