Avon Metals set to forge ahead thanks to Beacon South West
Avon Metals, a recent recipient of the Queen's Award for Export, is the latest high-profile company in the region to achieve Beacon status.
At one time the second largest aluminium smelter in Europe, the news caps a remarkable reversal in fortunes for the business, formerly known as Avon Smelting, which went into receivership in 2001.
Since then, Gloucester-based Avon Metals, (acquired from the receivers in a record-breaking 21 days by scrap merchants Remet), has been completely re-forged, with new working practices, new markets and product ranges being moulded along the way.
It is a move which has also seen turnover double in the last three years to £35m for 2006/07 and resulted in the 59-strong company, which recycles metals primarily from factory waste into aluminium-based alloys (for use in everything from take away trays to beer cans), catching the eye of Beacon South West.
Beacon South West is a South West of England Regional Development Agency (RDA) initiative which brings together the region's most forward-thinking companies to cultivate excellence among businesses in the region.
The architect of much of this sea-change at Avon Metals has been Steven Munnoch, who at 29, is one of the youngest managing directors in the UK metal industry, and a board member of the Minor Metals Trade Association - the international trade body for non-exchange based metals.
Munnoch, who started life at Avon Metals as a trainee trader, has overseen a radical transformation of the business, which involved an initial consolidation followed by a wholesale rebuilding of virtually every part of the business.
Significantly, the company made the decision to source raw materials direct from suppliers (primarily producers in China, Poland, Ukraine etc) rather than agents - a move which precipitated its shift into exporting, resulting in the company receiving The Queen's Award for Enterprise in International Trade earlier this year.
Although his diary may be full, Munnoch is more than happy to move meetings around in order to attend regular Beacon Boardrooms, where Beacon companies get to brainstorm new ideas.
"I am delighted that Avon Metals has achieved Beacon status," says Munnoch. "It is great that the company's efforts have been recognised in this way. I am particularly looking forward to the opportunity to meet up with my peers, sharing experiences, and hopefully learning new ways of doing things along the way."
Although Munnoch is the face of the business, he is the first to admit that Avon Metals couldn't have achieved what it has done without the input of every single member of staff.
"We have a great team of people here at Avon Metals," adds Munnoch, "all of whom have a common goal - namely to be the 'best we can be'. We couldn't have achieved our success without them." Avon Metals is currently in the process of attaining Investors in People (IiP) status to recognise their efforts.
Munnoch is determined not to rest on his laurels, and is currently in the process of diversifying the Avon Metals product range. Using the company's on-site lab, they have begun to specialise in niche alloys, utilising specialty metals including chromium and titanium.
Sue Baker, director of Beacon South West, adds: "Avon Metals is unquestionably one of the region's success stories. The turnaround in the company's fortunes has been nothing short of incredible and I am sure it will have a huge amount to offer other Beacon companies moving forward."
