Andover: Manufacturer honoured at national awards

MRT Castings, a family business based in Andover has been honoured at a major national manufacturing awards ceremony organised by Make UK, the manufacturers’ organisation.

MRT Castings took gold in the Manufacturing Matters category sponsored by relayr and recently introduced to reflect the steps industry has taken to deal with the current pandemic. Based at Walworth Business Park with 90 employees, the organisation was praised for its actions to massively increase production in response to the urgent global requirement for components for ventilators.

Commenting on MRT Castings’ award, judges said “The company was a fantastic case of how to react to change, ramp up, generate revenue and service a societal need of critical care ventilator parts. To increase output 5-fold in such a short time shows exceptional competence. This entrant really showed why manufacturing matters.”

Phil Rawnson, managing director of MRT, explained “At the start of the crisis it became clear in all corners of the globe, that there weren’t enough ventilators to cope with the anticipated surge of intensive care patients. As an established supplier of components for these essential devices, our customers turned to MRT. Thanks to the adaptability, creativity and sheer effort of our team, MRT were able to transform the scale of our operation in just a few weeks, investing in additional world-class machinery, setting up complete new factory sites, and growing our workforce significantly.”

Jim Davison, region director for Make UK in the South, said: “These awards are a testament to the dynamic companies and individuals working within engineering and manufacturing. The sector has been at the heart of delivering during the crisis and MRT Castings are a fantastic example of how manufacturing has adapted to support the NHS and provide valuable services at a time of need”.

Mike Hynes, senior account executive, relayr said: “We help companies in industrial markets to successfully navigate disruption and stay relevant. Our unique combination of applying first-class technology, with powerful financial and insurance offerings to deliver business outcomes, has been particularly important this year as manufacturers have shown adaptability and resilience in responding to unprecedented challenges. We’re proud to sponsor the Manufacturing Matters category and it’s been inspiring to hear the great work of this year’s winners, MRT Castings.”