Few companies bucked the trend of the long recession and managed to achieve double digit growth throughout. Even fewer are within the manufacturing sector. So what has made Edgetech UK stand out? According to the management team, it is all about inspirational leadership.
Over the past 12 years, the manufacturer, which specialises in spacers for insulating glass units, has increased its turnover from £450,000 to around £17 million today. Much of the company’s success can be attributed to Managing Director Andy Jones, a man prone to launching ‘idea grenades’ according to his management team, that underpin the company’s continual innovation. For example Edgetech UK has brought four new products to the market in the last year alone. As John Stark, Works Manager, says, “Andy is a visionary Managing Director. He knows our customers well and can identify new opportunities quickly – and he knows the strengths and weaknesses of the competition.”
The business has expanded its activities significantly over the past decade, adding new products, both manufactured and third party, and creating a secondary distribution centre in Burnley. At the same time, the market has become more aggressive and price oriented, creating a need for Edgetech to streamline operations as much as possible.
Throughout this time, the company has used Sage ERP software, migrating through the product set to the current deployment of Sage 200, supplied by CPiO. This combination of consistency and innovation has been key. Andy Jones says, “The business was fairly simple when we sold one product, in one colour. That has changed dramatically over the years and Sage has grown with us.”
To support this growth, Andy has continually evolved the company’s management practices. A new management team was introduced to reflect a changing business emphasis – and 2013 saw the creation of the company’s first five year strategy plan. However, Andy’s focus on challenging staff and driving change remains undimmed. Financial Controller, Dominic Moules, insists, “We are actively encouraged to challenge the status quo – for the right reasons. This is a small management team and we all get involved in other business areas, which is great.” John adds, it’s all about responding fast to new ideas to get things done, “You sit round the table, discuss the cost, discuss the impact and do it!
*Please note, Sage 200 has now been rebranded as Sage 200cloud (January 2018)
