Leading injection-moulding manufacturer, Heyside Group, is set to increase its production capacity after investing £500k in a major shift from traditional manual processes to a fully modernised, automated factory.
Heyside Group, a family-run firm which produces high-volume PVC injection-moulded products for the traffic management, utilities and infrastructure sectors from its Oldham manufacturing site, has secured a £500k loan from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) loan fund.
This loan will be used to increase Heyside’s production capacity by up to 60 per cent over the next three years, generating up to £4.8m additional revenue annually, and marking a 60 per cent increase on its current turnover of £8m.
Most of the investment is being placed into automation, which will reduce downtime, improve product consistency, and allow Heyside to enter new markets such as rail, defence, and international sectors.
Just under half of the loan has been invested into new tooling, to transition older compression moulding processes onto modern injection lines, improving consistency and efficiency. The investment is also supporting Heyside’s drive for automation, including the acquisition of a new robotic arm.
The loan has been supported by the Greater Manchester Business Growth Hub, which has connected Heyside to key partners including the University of Lancashire and Salford University, giving the firm access to academic expertise in materials, automation and robotics.
Oldham Council has also supported Heyside with a £10,000 technology grant which has enabled the installation of an automated feed system, further developing the firms’ automation capabilities.
Speaking about the investment, Matt Pryce, managing director of Heyside Group, said: “The GMCA loan supports us in our three major ambitions: to expand our export activity, to grow our product development capability, and to expand into new materials.
“Everything we’re doing now, in both increasing our production capacity and diversifying what we can produce, is laying the foundation for a future where we’re seen as the go-to choice for injection-moulded products and recycled PVC pellets.”
