Manchester manufacturer wins Queen's Award for export success

The company’s overseas sales have increased fivefold in three years – from £360,000 to £1.7 million – primarily to the US and Europe.

The company also estimates that 95% of domestic sales are ultimately exported as many of the company’s UK customers deliver their products overseas.

Chelburn’s total turnover is now more than £5 million.

Chelburn director Katie Travis says the success is due to its investment in the very latest machinery which, combined with a highly skilled workforce, means it has carved out a niche for its specialised production services both in the UK and overseas. She added: “Every project we do is unique so it needs great technical and problem-solving skills.”

Chelburn Precision, founded in Rochdale in 1982 by Roger Travis and now run by his son, Neil, is rapidly building a reputation as a global leader in its field.

It takes engineering to an incredibly high and precise level, manufacturing key components in one-offs or batch quantities for machines needed in industries such as rubber and plastics, paper converting, oil and gas, industrial gear boxes, printing and canning.

Among many landmark achievements, Chelburn made prototype parts for the Joint Strike Fighter programme which developed a new generation of fighter and ground attack aircraft for the United States, NATO and other countries including the UK. Production of this aircraft began in 2006.

With its broad spectrum of customers, Chelburn’s products range from complex pumps for the oil and gas industry – weighing as much as eight tonnes – to clutch shafts for paper converting just 60mm in diameter. The key is precision and measurement tolerances can go down to 0.01mm.

Most parts are made out of stainless steel, aluminium and cast iron and Chelburn now has more than 130 suppliers for all the components needed for its projects.

The company is continually moving forward with the latest technology, recently investing £1.6 million in three of the very latest computer-controlled machines to make sure every project is done to the highest quality and as efficiently as possible.

The Queen’s Awards are the highest any business in the UK can receive and they are given for outstanding achievement in the categories of innovation, international trade, sustainable development and promoting opportunity through social mobility.

Chelburn Precision www.chelburn.co.uk