RD Castings shapes a sustainable future with NAAME’s help

NAAME Member, RD Castings, in Mildenhall, specialises in aluminium and zinc die casting, and has one of the most advanced manufacturing facilities in the UK.

Since its founding in 1976, it has consistently invested in skills, innovation, and technology to make its operations more efficient. Operations Director Anthony Pateman explains how the West Suffolk Manufacturing Group (WSMG), Chaired by Richard Bridgman OBE, run by West Suffolk Council and NAAME, has helped it secure grants and training to accelerate growth while reducing its carbon emissions.

Knowledge sharing and networking

“We joined the WSMG about six years ago on the advice of James Talbot, who is Principal Growth Officer at West Suffolk Council and the WSMG coordinator” says Anthony. “I’ve known James for many years so trusted his judgement; if it hadn’t been for his encouragement, I might not have gone along to the first meeting. However, I’m glad I did as the experience has opened my eyes to many valuable opportunities and enabled me to meet great people along the way, including potential new clients.”

As Anthony explains, one of the big challenges facing business leaders is isolation. “You tend to get so engrossed in running your business that you forget to look up and see the bigger picture. WSMG and NAAME help you break out from that internally focused mindset by encouraging you to talk to other manufacturers about the issues they face and the solutions they have found that might help you.

“Overall, it has been a worthwhile investment of my time not only because I have learnt a lot from like-minded people about developments in manufacturing but also because the business has benefited financially. In fact, I estimate that we have secured some £750,000 worth of support, including grants and R&D tax credits, on the back of what we have learnt through the WSMG and NAAME’s wider network. They also provided critical business support during the Covid pandemic.”

Staying open during lockdown

The pandemic was a frightening time for the many businesses that had to shut to protect their workers. However, RD Castings had a vital role to play making specialist parts for medical pumps used by the NHS to administer drugs to patients. “The WSMG got the message out to the local manufacturing community that businesses in our situation could get written authorisation from West Suffolk Council to stay open during lockdown. That was a vital lifeline for us – as well as our clients and the patients.”

Tax credits for research and development

“Innovation is critical to our business” says Anthony. “It helps us maintain a real competitive advantage, but it is resource intensive to sustain over several years. Although I had heard of the government’s R&D tax credits scheme, I did not know how, or even if, we could claim until I heard a talk about the scheme at a WSMG event.

technology companies, not SMEs in Suffolk. In fact, it turns out that any UK company developing new manufacturing techniques and processes can apply, subject to meeting certain strict criteria.

“Through NAAME we found a tax expert who could help us account for all the relevant work correctly and file our annual claims. As a result, we have received around £50,000-£70,000 a year from HMRC for several years now to support our R&D projects. This is money straight into your bank – which is why it is so valuable to innovative businesses.”

Cutting carbon emissions and saving on energy costs

RD Castings is very aware of its social responsibility to protect the environment. Over the last few years, it has embraced various sustainability initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint and use more renewable energy for its operations. “Here again NAAME has been a great source of information on grants and introductions to specialists,” says Anthony.

“For instance, we got funding through the Business Energy Efficiency (‘BEE’) Anglia programme for a full energy audit and energy saving advice. We also secured funding to install five chargers for electric vehicles and LED lighting throughout all our buildings. These sorts of grants typically cover around 20% of the costs, giving your budget a real boost and helping you achieve more with it.

“Other work includes a fully funded scheme in which West Suffolk Council installed around £100,000 of solar panels on our roofs in 2023. In return, we have a 10-year contract to buy electricity through the scheme with a guarantee that it will match the cheapest rate we can get elsewhere. This has helped us lock in greater certainty of supply and future prices, while also adding value to the property.”

RD Castings has also invested in a full energy dashboard to monitor its electrical consumption and highlight areas for improvement. Based on this information, the firm has replaced all its old boilers and installed auto sensing lights which turn on and off automatically when people enter or leave a room. “Once again, NAAME pointed us towards various grants to cover some of the costs of the new equipment, which accelerates the payback time on our investment.

“Following a recent WSMG talk at a Haverhill meeting by ‘The Malt Doctor’, we have now applied for carbon footprint mapping and certification of our Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. This is a fully funded scheme worth around £3,000 and is increasingly important because so many larger clients are now asking their supply chains to provide such information. The Malt Doctor, Dr Nigel Davies, is also a good person to work with because he is knowledgeable without being intimidating.”

Upskilling employees to secure future work

Attracting and retaining talent is always a challenge for any business but providing in-work training is a good way of ensuring employees feel valued enough to stay. “Through NAAME we have been able to identify funding for several management training courses and business coaching, as well as training in website development, marketing, and social media management. We have also received grants for process and efficiency improvement training that also helps make for a safer working environment.

“Another important area for training is to maximise our investment in new equipment. For instance, we recently invested in an automated die cell and secured a grant to help fund the training of five employees on how to operate the new ABB robot that handles the work. We have also successfully applied for 20% grants to help fund three new high-speed milling machines, and a new compressor – and are now applying for funding for a fully automated CNC robot cell to fit an existing milling machine.

“Robots are a key part of our growth plans. They offer huge improvements in accuracy, efficiency, and reliability. That will help us continue serving high-demand customers.”

Academic partnership with University of Cambridge

One final valuable service for NAAME members is the team’s ability to unlock partnerships with local universities. “This wasn’t something I’d even considered,” admits Anthony, “until I heard Professor Sebastian Pattinson from University of Cambridge give a talk about his research at an WSMG meeting.

“He is working on improving the accuracy of additive and extrusion manufacturing processes by using AI and high-definition imaging technology to regulate the temperature and speed of 3D printing, as hand-calibration can be inaccurate. It struck me that perhaps we could use his expertise and similar technology to refine the spray coating of our die castings as well as our CNC machining. We are now in the early stages of organising a proof-of-concept project with a view to securing funding for a full trial.

“That’s what’s so great about WSMG, it gets better and better the more people get involved. They regularly ask the members what we are interested in or want to understand so they can organise relevant events in future. I now consider it an essential part of my networking and knowledge building activities – plus,” concludes Anthony, “they have good cookies and coffee, which is a real bonus.”

Councillor Indy Wijenayaka, Cabinet Member for Growth at West Suffolk Council said: “Success stories like RD Castings epitomise the reasoning behind establishing the WSMG. Through facilitating collaboration, networking, and sustainable growth opportunities, the group is able to empower the advanced manufacturing and engineering sector in West Suffolk.”

Richard Bridgman, Founder and Owner of Warren and Chair of West Suffolk Group says “I am honoured to have chaired the WSMG over the past five years. Witnessing the group grow from strength to strength has been truly inspiring. Providing local business leaders with a platform to connect, collaborate, and share invaluable insights from the front lines has been an incredible journey”

If you’d like to find out more about how NAAME can support your manufacturing organisation, simply contact us!