WMG » Success Story

WMG supports Brandauer to boost turnover, achieve a 60% waste reduction and 10% cost savings

Tue, 12 May 2026 13:33:00 GMT

A 15-year partnership delivering £100k+ of innovation support, driving sustainable growth, strengthening competitiveness and securing a strong future for the business.

Founded in 1862 as a fountain pen nib manufacturer, Birmingham-based Brandauer has evolved into one of the world’s leading metal stamping and tooling specialists, supporting customers in 15 different sectors and across 26 countries.

Celebrating its 165th anniversary in 2027, the company has benefited from £100k+ of innovation support from WMG’s SME Group, leading to substantial cost savings, waste reductions and successful diversification into electrification on a global stage.

“Collaboration with academia is vital for a thriving SME. Recognising this, Brandauer has worked with WMG on multiple collaborative projects and, as a result, we have been able to successfully develop several new technologies and customer opportunities.” - Stuart Berry, Manufacturing Director, Brandauer.

From interns to income: how Eric Lyons generated over £10k through digital marketing

Wed, 06 May 2026 13:42:00 GMT

Award-winning family butchers Eric Lyons wanted to enhance its digital marketing and social media, collaborating with WMG’s SME Group to place two interns to help boost sales in the run-up to Christmas.

Founded in the 1800s, Eric Lyons is now run by fourth and fifth generations of the Lyons family. David and his sons, Nick and Dan manage three butchery and fine foods stores and run a nationwide delivery service.

Looking to improve its marketing and social media strategy to boost festive sales, the business sought support via WMG’s Internship Programme in collaboration with Made Smarter West Midlands.

“We didn’t have a full-time website manager, but we knew we needed to provide more content for our website and social media channels, particularly with a new store opening and Christmas being on the horizon which is our busiest time of the year.” - Nick Lyons, Director, Eric Lyons.

Advancing Battery Safety: WMG's Role in the SafeBatt Project

Fri, 01 May 2026 13:00:00 GMT

The Faraday Institution’s SafeBatt project is an award-winning collaboration, led by the University of Oxford, involving seven universities alongside industrial partners, each bringing unique capabilities to the investigation of the science of battery safety.

With the increasing adoption of electric vehicles and the growing demand for energy storage solutions, ensuring further improvements to the safety and efficiency of batteries is an urgent priority. The SafeBatt project seeks to address the critical issue of battery safety by improving the performance of cells and minimising the risk of failure

Building Britain’s on-street EV charging network: char.gy’s journey with WMG

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 07:51:00 GMT

How Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) supported char.gy during its early development and subsequent growth, as the business evolved into a nationwide manufacturer and operator of public on-street EV charging.

Manufactured in Coventry, char.gy is one of the UK’s leading providers and operators of EV charge points, managing a growing network of more than 5,000 public charging points nationwide.

Founded in 2016 by entrepreneur Richard Stobart, char.gy specialises in reliable and affordable on-street charging, focusing on the 40% of UK households without a private driveway. By using existing street furniture such as lamp posts, char.gy enables local authorities to deliver accessible EV charging without costly street works.

Across the 10-year partnership, WMG supported a number of projects spanning applied research, product development, and the creation of new intellectual property, supporting char.gy to grow sustainably and achieve its long-term ambitions.

Cooler Vans for Cleaner Cities

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 09:08:00 GMT

WMG partnered with CoolVan and GAH Refrigeration Ltd to develop the UK’s first fully electric, zero‑emission refrigerated van through the Innovate UK–funded Cit‑E‑Van project. Using advanced simulation, thermal modelling and real‑time testing, WMG helped create a highly efficient electric refrigeration system that cuts carbon emissions by 86%, reduces energy use by 35% and lowers running costs by 32%. The project demonstrates how collaborative innovation can deliver cleaner, quieter and commercially viable cold‑chain transport, supporting the UK’s transition to sustainable urban logistics.

WMG and AMRC map the future of e-machine circularity

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 10:28:12 GMT

The rapid adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) creates an urgent global challenge: how to sustainably process millions of high-value electric motors (EMs) at the end of their life. In a key cross-Catapult collaboration, WMG, at the ��ӰƬ, led a project with Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), the University of Sheffield , to create a detailed digital disassembly map and simulation for recovering value-embedded components and materials such as rare earth magnets, electrical steel, copper and aluminium from end-of-life (EoL) e-machines, thereby drastically mitigating technical bottlenecks and paving the way for circular economy (CE) pathways.

Modernising a 150-year-old manufacturer: Gordon Ellis’ £70k productivity boost

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:28:00 GMT

Traditional family-owned woodworking business, Gordon Ellis, wanted to improve productivity, embed modern technologies and future-proof its manufacturing operations.

Based in Leicestershire, the company specialises in bespoke carpentry and joinery as well as polymer rotational moulding, an in-depth plastic forming process. Over the last 150 years, the business has grown from horses and hand tools to today’s digital-first precision woodworking.

Working with WMG and embedding a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) associate into the business, who implemented a new live monitoring system for Gordon Ellis, led to increased shopfloor capacity, reduced energy consumption and a £70,000 annual saving from physical waste-reduction.

Strengthening EU medical device cybersecurity: WMG’s impact through the MedSecurance project

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 08:35:00 GMT

Connected medical devices are transforming healthcare but also increasing cybersecurity risks.

Through the MedSecurance project, WMG’s Secure Cyber Systems Research Group is helping strengthen EU medical device cybersecurity by developing practical tools, regulatory recommendations, and risk-analysis methods that improve patient safety, support manufacturers, and enable secure innovation in connected healthcare technologies.

Developing the next generation of manufacturing talent with Data Image Group

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 12:45:00 GMT

Data Image Group, a large-scale print production house based in the East Midlands, has been working with global brands for over forty years.

With a vision to become an industry leader in innovation, the company partnered with WMG to access funding, engage in knowledge exchange programmes, and collaborate with talented graduates, turning their ambition into action via internships.

From manual to modern: how WMG helped drive Darvick’s growth journey

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 14:29:00 GMT

Based in the Black Country, Darvick is a leading manufacturer of bespoke testing machines that push high-tech components to their limits.

Founded by husband and wife Darren and Vicki Wilkes, the company works with clients across aerospace, nuclear engineering, transport and more, designing machines capable of testing new materials and components under extreme conditions.

As the team grew and workload increased, outdated processes and data systems became a major bottleneck. To overcome this, Darvick partnered with WMG’s SME Group through Made Smarter West Midlands, to upgrade their lab management system to fly closer to its sky-high growth ambitions.