Olympic torch deal for castings specialist

Olympic success is heading to the Black Country after a local foundry secured a deal to cast parts for the iconic London 2012 Olympic torch.

Alucast, which employs over 100 people at its Wednesbury base, has been chosen by Coventry-based Premier Group to manufacture the top and bottom caps after impressing with its technical expertise. The company is responsible for tooling, machining and polishing using gravity casting technology to produce the aluminium components that hold the inner and outer skin of the torch in place.

More than 15 employees are involved in the contract, ranging from design and technical staff to the quality department and experienced casters. A number of prototypes have already been provided, with full production now underway.

Tony Sartorius, managing director of Alucast, was delighted to bring this high profile order to the region: “This is fantastic news for everyone involved in our business and underlines our ability to work on complex and demanding projects that require flexibility, world class quality and technical expertise,” he commented.

“It also shows the manufacturing capabilities we have in the West Midlands and is a great example of the positive impact the Olympics can have on all areas of the UK.”

Designed by East Londoners Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby, the torch is 800mm high and features 8,000 perforated circles to represent each one of the inspirational runners on the Olympic Relay planned to mark the opening of London 2012.

The Premier Group, which specialises in turnkey engineering and associated services, beat off international competition to secure the contract to manufacture the torch and has been responsible for setting up a supply chain to deliver the project on time, on budget and to the exacting design and quality standards expected by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG).

The Premier Group approached Alucast after it was recommended by a business partner and was immediately impressed with the foundry's passion for the project, its flexibility in supplying prototypes for testing and its track record in engineering solutions.

Gez Halton, manufacturing director at the Premier Group, explained: “The parts supplied by Alucast are two of the most important components of the torch and we needed to work with a company that understood the design and could deliver the parts to the required finish and importantly, on time. After the first meeting, we knew we had found the right partner and the fact they are based locally is a real bonus in terms of project management.”

This latest contract marks an impressive period for Alucast and follows on from an existing order to supply complex components to the resurgent Norton Motorcycles. The company, which is a founder member of the Midlands Assembly Network (MAN), offers customers in the automotive, construction, hydraulics, vacuum and medical sectors access to fully machined high pressure, gravity and sand casting and has the capability to supply low, medium and high volume products.

Investment in a new machining shop has seen it take on a host of new customers and the firm expects to reach nearly £8 million of annual sales by the end of the year.

Alucast
www.alucast.co.uk