The mobility industries are renowned for being fiercely competitive; the adage 'survival of the fittest' springs readily to mind as companies throughout the western world strive to keep pace with the emerging economies of the Pacific Rim and beyond.
Here though, we found a different story, for a few minutes in the

company of Denis and his business team and you realise that here is a company not only saying but doing all the right things. Staff training is a definite priority with a number of apprentices already taken on this year and an ongoing commitment to attracting and keeping a loyal skilled workforce. Their reputation for quality has resulted in them being blessed with craftsmen skilled in hands-on personal finishing skills that were first put to use when they produced a special three car range for Motor Panels some 14 years ago which required the use of traditional hand forming skills.
Today their craftsmen work from the flat or preformed pressings

that require finishing whilst the company have maintained the skill base to enable them to finish one-off show cars and early test parts as well as planting the seeds to ensure the trade continues.
In many ways it has been a long hard road for such a company to achieve this level of success. Like many suppliers to the automotive industries, developing a successful marketing strategy is precarious as they effectively have one if not both arms tied behind their backs.
John Campton suggested they have built their reputation on the back of the quality of the work they consistently produce. This came across loud and clear in our discussions the company is

committed to a policy of continuous training procedures in line with its first tier status and actively encourages the workforce to take a pride in what they produce.
As Engineering and Projects Director, Gordon Pouton said: 'It is frustrating at times, because the nature of the work we are contracted to do by our clients means they are very clear on matters of confidentiality. It has been because of our ability to work below radar that we have been able to build the relationships we have with them today. At the same time, it means we are limited as to how we can project ourselves in business terms'.
Father of two Nick Sephton is a prime example of the Company's

philosophy of investing in its most important assets-its people. He joined the company in 1998 and completed a pattern making apprenticeship with flying colours. Still with the company, the knowledge he gained then is invaluable in his role as a qualified CAD designer today.
Overall, working relationships with key customers are strong and include household names like Jaguar, Bentley, Aston Martin, BMW, Ford, Land Rover and Rolls Royce whilst they have just joined forces with Midlands based Modec, who are manufacturing a commercially viable electric van (we hope to feature more of this intriguing vehicle with an in depth technical article in a future issue).
Globally the picture is just as exciting for Premier and as we go to press with our prestige Autosports issue, we are awaiting a further announcement from Premier concerning a major order from a certain European manufacturer (this will be posted on our websites as soon as the story breaks and we hope to publish an exclusive article for Premier next issue)
From crash test body parts to custom made mechanical components, but nothing has been out of reach, a boast which continues to pay dividends as they continue to adapt and become a 'one-stop shop' for manufacturers looking to develop prototype projects or low volume added value products.
In fact, Premier boast the largest five-axis laser cutting facility in the UK ideal for machining the more complex aerospace components whilst their attitude of getting it right first time has helped to secure a reputation as the benchmark for quality in the prototyping industry
Their sheet metalling reputation for precision engineering particularly enables them to make one-off prototypes to exceptional standards often for the most secretive of customers - and the company is generally regarded by their 'who's who of engineering' client list as being at the cutting edge of their technology.
For more information visit: www.premiersheetmetal.com