An engineering company supplying specialist valves to the oil and gas sectors has enjoyed significant growth in overseas markets - and a landmark year of achievement.
Severn Unival, which employs 130 people, is firmly rooted in its new £2.5m premises at Brighouse - but derives 35% of its income from international trade.
Export income increased by 28% between 2011 and 2012 and is forecast to rise by another 11% to hit £8m this year. The company has seen a corresponding 11% rise in the size of its workforce since 2011.
In 2009, the company's management team set out ambitious five-year growth targets. Four years in, Severn Unival has grown by an average of 12.5% each year - with international trade playing an increasingly important role.
During the past 12 months, the firm completed a move to its new 60,000sq ft premises at Birds Royd Lane - an investment which means Severn Unival now has world-class facilities to complement its world-class products.
To meet the technical demands of the global oil and gas industry, the company has established a dedicated research and development division and promoted several of its brightest engineers to the R&D team as well as giving them the freedom and support to explore new developments.
The North Sea remains a key market for Severn Unival, but activity in the Middle and Far East is becoming increasingly important.
Earlier this year, one of the company’s lead engineering directors relocated permanently to the Middle East in a consultative client-facing role, enabling the firm to build stronger long-term relationships with major players in the industry.
The firm has secured significant international contracts in Houston, Texas, and in Iraq and Norway, providing a long-term order book running well into 2014.
Among factors helping the firm stand out from its competitors is Severn Unival's Repair Intelligence process, which gathers failure information from control valves in all major gas and oil applications worldwide.
From this information, it develops solutions to improve long-term reliability and performance for clients.
The company is also set to become the unrivalled global leader in valve engineering for challenging and extreme operating conditions following its investment in R&D.
Managing director Colin Findlay said: "By focusing on the firm's talents on developing breakthrough technologies for the most challenging jobs, the leadership team has staked out a lucrative and expanding international territory for the business."
He said: "The business continues to move forward boldly. New product lines are being developed for manufacture in Brighouse following the integration of Leeds Valve - acquired in 2012 by parent company Severn Glocon Group - into Severn Unival's operations."
The Engine Room Design Co Ltd
A design company embarked on the export trail - with immediate positive results.
The Engine Room Design Co Ltd, based at Huddersfield town centre's Creative Lofts, was formed in 2002 and works on design and branding assignments for clients in sectors ranging from healthcare and life sciences to manufacturing and retail.
This year, the company and its nine-strong staff have seen its export turnover grow from a standing start to 25% - and is now operating in North America, Switzerland and Norway.
The Engine Room said its growth over the last year was down to focusing on two key areas for clients - differentiation and return on investment.
Among its successes, the Engine Room helped reposition Sheffield-based UK Medical in the marketplace, which contributed to that company being sold to Carefusion, one of the world’s largest medical technology companies with annual revenues of $3.55bn. Carefusion remains a key client of The Engine Room, which has made eight trips to its Swiss offices in the last six months alone.
The Engine Room is now involved with a similar story for another UK manufacturer, which is set to see that company’s turnover soar over the next two years.
Among its achievements in the past 12 months, The Engine Room has secured funding from Yorkshire Finance to support some of its investments, made a series of key personnel appointments to bolster its design and account management teams, entered key export markets and become the first agency in Huddersfield to land a prestigious Design Effectiveness Award.
It has worked on strategic brand development for clients including UK Medical and co-partners Tesco and Xercise4Less.
Plans for the next 12 months include recruiting three new staff, attendance at international healthcare trade shows in Germany and the USA as well as a growing commitment to its international clients to help them increase sales.
A spokeswoman said: "The Engine Room is currently working on a number of very exciting projects for UK and Norwegian manufacturers.
"We have exciting plans for the future; we’re clear in our vision. For us, growth isn't just about size. We want to manage our growth to ensure we retain our high service levels, our customer focus, our creative edge and our attention to detail in terms of our clients' business objectives."
She said: "We don't want to become arrogant or overly confident. We just want to keep delivering world-class design projects for our clients."
Manrochem Ltd
A company based in Huddersfield town centre is helping keep the wheels of industry turning across the world.
Manrochem Ltd, based at New North Road, specialises in designing and managing the construction of process engineering projects for blue-chip and privately-owned clients manufacturing pharmaceuticals, chemicals, personal care products and for companies involved in food production and nuclear power.
The company, which employs 14 people and has an office in Chennai, India, was formed in Elland in 1990 and moved to its current site in 1995.
Business director and co-owner Edward Jennings said: "Our specialism is early stage definition - that is identifying and quantifying future options from a single process to an integrated complex. Manrochem offers a qualified team of multi-disciplinary and multi-tasking individuals. Our engineers are innovative and will seek to add value to a client's project. The value added by our engineers and the success of this approach is evidenced by or long-term relationships with many of our clients."
During the past 12 months, the company has increased staff numbers, turnover and profits as well as its client base. Among its contracts, it completed detailed designs for a major overseas tea production facility. Clients have included major names such as Procter and Gamble, PZ Cussons,
Said Mr Jennings: "Due to the wealth of academic qualifications and practical experience within our business, we are in the unique position to undertake standard and also more divers process solutions. Manrochem actively engages in solving problems that our competitors shy away from and we work with and give advice to a plethora of UK and international companies."