RAMSBOTTOM industrial mixing company Joshua Greaves has just celebrated the most profitable year in its 94-year history with significant upsurges in exports, employment and turnover.

The good news comes after the business, which is based at the town’s Atlas Engineering Works in Garden Street, worked with the Manufacturing Advis-ory Service (MAS).

Joshua Greaves & Sons Ltd was founded in 1919 to do engineering work, but soon established specialist manufacturing capabilities in the food and pharma- ceuticals market.

It now boasts clients including Boots, Heinz, Shell, Ford, Kellogg’s, BASF and Cadbury and its plant features a modern 2000 sq m design, test and manu-facturing facility.

The company approached the MAS to help it change the way the business is perceived in the market-place and to develop the capability to take on more complex and higher value projects, both in the UK and internationally.

Director Edward Greaves explained: “Our business has been performing well and we have an impressive client portfolio, but we knew we could do better and do more to drive us forward.

“We needed to really challenge what people thought of us and re-educate them on our capabilities. We also needed to expand our services to meet the demands and needs of our growing client base. We have almost a century of expertise and experience behind us, but it was vital for us to develop our brand, our skills, our structure and our processes to enable us to compete and grow in a 21st century market.”

MAS associate Tim Iles, of TIML, worked with the company to create a business strategy and to secure funding for two new websites and to develop an organisational structure that provided complete high volume fluid processing solutions for the mixing of difficult products.

He also helped to develop team skills and processes to manage higher value complex international projects.

The company uses the latest computer design and manufacturing techniques to produce highly efficient mixing and processing systems for manufacturers of a huge range of products. These include pharmaceuticals, specialty chemicals, aerospace components, adhesives, and food and drink.

As a direct result of the investment and changes in business practice, the company has created 10 new jobs since jobs 2010. The workforce now totals 45.

Turnover has increased by 77 per cent from £1.3 million to £2.3 million in the same period, while export sales are the highest in the company’s history with a 60 per cent rise from 2012 figures and new turnkey projects with multi-facility global manufacturers currently standing at £2.2 million.

MAS adviser Mark Sutherberry said: “Joshua Greaves is a great example of a good company that has just got a lot better!

“MAS worked with it to ensure that it now has a brand and a business that is equipped to take on new clients and offer new services for another century to come.

“As a result, the firm is now projecting further sales growth for the next year and is looking to invest further in the plant, equipment and jobs.”

n—MAS offers a free helpdesk and research service by calling 0845 658 9600 or emailing advice@mymas.org