News: Funding approved for Rotherham business growth projects

20 new jobs are set to be created as Rotherham firms continue to benefit from funding via the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) and the South Yorkshire Investment Zone.

In 2023, the region was confirmed as the UK's first investment zone, using success in advanced manufacturing to help make South Yorkshire the best place to start, scale or relocate businesses from around the world, boosting the UK economy.

Primarily focused on connecting Sheffield to Rotherham (where the research assets such as The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) are already located), it is expected to create 8,000 new jobs and bring in £1.2bn worth of private investment by 2030.

Rothbiz highlighted the Rotherham sites that have been given IZ status where funding can be used to offer investors, developers and start-ups a combination of targeted support and financial interventions. £160m over ten years for the region has been confirmed.

SYMCA's board recently heard about a £2m growth proposal for Preformed Windings Ltd.

The company has over 50 years of experience manufacturing high-voltage bars and coils that are essential for stabilising and enhancing the performance of heavy machinery across multiple sectors, including hydropower, nuclear and power generation. These specialised components extend asset life, improve efficiency and reduce maintenance requirements for equipment that typically operates under extreme electrical stress.

Expanding into further premises at Waleswood in Rotherham in 2024, taking on a further unit at Vector 31 represented a 60% increase in manufacturing capacity. Last year Preformed Windings secured a £1.5m trade loan facility from HSBC UK, backed by a guarantee from UK Export Finance (UKEF) – the government’s export credit agency.

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SYMCA papers explain: "This project supports the delivery of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority’s (SYMCA) Plan for Good Growth by creating new jobs, boost local businesses, and strengthen South Yorkshire’s role in the UK’s clean‑energy sector.

"The project will deliver more than 20 new well‑paid, permanent jobs in its first phase, with further roles planned as the company expands. Preformed Windings manufactures components used in renewable and low‑carbon power generation, and the investment includes creating the UK’s first high‑voltage testing facility of its kind. This new centre will mean manufacturers no longer need to send equipment overseas for testing, cutting carbon emissions and keeping specialist work within the UK.

"The company will bring its two existing sites together into a single modern, energy‑efficient facility in South Yorkshire, improving productivity and supporting long‑term regional growth. Preformed Windings already works with more than 90 local suppliers and will continue to invest in apprenticeships, training, and partnerships with Sheffield’s universities to develop skills for the future."

A £2m grant/loan has been awarded.

Papers also show that Rotherham-based S3ID has secured £105,000 to support an autonomous, battery-powered industrial tracking device and cloud platform. Templeborough's S3ID is an international company providing complete location awareness solutions.

Another approval has been made for Conflux Technology at £310,000. With an Australian HQ, Conflux is world-leading heat exchange technology company, pioneering thermal applications with additive manufacturing. Conflux UK moved into the Advanced Manufacturing Park Technology Centre in Rotherham last year.

Preformed Windings website
S3ID website
Conflux UK website

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News: Rotherham manufacturer drives export growth with £1.5m government guarantee

Preformed Windings Limited, a leading manufacturer of high-voltage bars and diamond coils, has secured enhanced financial backing to strengthen its position in international markets through a £1.5m trade loan facility from HSBC UK, backed by a guarantee from UK Export Finance (UKEF) – the government’s export credit agency.

The company has over 50 years of experience manufacturing high-voltage bars and coils that are essential for stabilising and enhancing the performance of heavy machinery across multiple sectors, including hydropower, nuclear and power generation. These specialised components extend asset life, improve efficiency and reduce maintenance requirements for equipment that typically operates under extreme electrical stress.

Preformed Windings has operations at Vector 31 at Waleswood in Rotherham. It recently added a further 11,000 sq ft for a 60% increase in manufacturing capacity to meet the growing demand for high-voltage diamond coils.

With over 90% of its business driven by exports, Preformed Windings supplies customers across multiple continents. The trade loan facility, backed by UKEF’s General Export Facility, provides the financial flexibility needed to manage working capital while continuing to invest in growth and technical innovation, enabling the company to confidently handle large international orders and serve its expanding global customer base.

The company now employs more than 120 people – with 10% of staff recruited in the last six months – and expects to add further roles across production, technical, and sales teams as growth continues.

Preformed Windings works closely with Advanced Manufacturing (Sheffield) Limited and the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, offering post-graduate and degree apprenticeship schemes to develop future engineering talent within the region.

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Tim Reid, CEO of UK Export Finance, said: "Preformed Windings’ success shows exactly why we created the General Export Facility - to give UK businesses the flexibility to invest in export growth. Their commitment to technical innovation and training showcases why the UK remains at the forefront of advanced manufacturing.

"By backing companies like Preformed Windings, we’re strengthening the UK’s competitive edge, supporting skilled jobs, and nurturing the engineering talent that underpins our economy.

"Looking ahead, the company is focused on expanding further into markets in North America, Middle East, Japan, and Europe, which present exciting opportunities for Preformed Windings advanced bar and coil technologies and expertise in supporting high-efficiency power generation."

James Stevens, CEO at Preformed Windings Limited, said: "With over 90% of our business driven by exports, the support by UKEF and HSBC UK has been critical in strengthening our position as a global leader in high-voltage bars and diamond coils.

"The General Export Facility has given us the confidence to manage working capital to meet overseas demand efficiently and competitively. As we expand into new markets, we see UKEF as a key partner in our international growth."

Kayley Towle, International Manager at HSBC UK, said: "At HSBC UK, we’re delighted to support innovative businesses like Preformed Windings to achieve their export growth ambitions. Working alongside UKEF, this is a great example of how partnership between banking and government can provide the flexible financing that businesses need to capitalise on international opportunities."

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News: Rotherham expansion moves for industrial specialists

Two growing businesses have expanded into a popular Rotherham industrial estate.

Specialist hire company RVT Group, which offers tailored solutions for dust control, fume extraction, ventilation, noise barriers, water treatment, environmental monitoring and climate control, has enlarged its depot facilities after taking 35,000 sq ft of industrial space at Vector 31 in Waleswood.

The company, started in 1993, had outgrown its existing unit in Chesterfield, while existing tenant Preformed Windings, which manufacture coils for high-voltage motors and generators, has expanded at the popular industrial scheme.

Preformed Windings' current unit, Unit C, spans 19,000 sq ft, and the new unit, Unit J, adds an additional 11,000 sq ft. The 60% increase in manufacturing capacity is to meet the growing demand for high-voltage diamond coils.

Officially opening the new unit, Rother Valley MP, Jake Richards said that the new unit comes as part of a £3m capital investment programme.

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Agents Knight Frank secured the unit for RVT, which has sites across the UK including two offices in Dartford plus branches in Northampton, Chester and Scotland, and also negotiated the move for Preformed Windings, which has more than 50 years of experience of partnering major OEMs and rewind shops worldwide.

Harry Orwin-Allen, surveyor in the Knight Frank Sheffield office, said: “Vector 31 is a prime South Yorkshire location and offers occupiers high grade industrial and warehouse units built to modern specification. Both companies needed extra capacity in high quality accommodation, and Vector 31 fitted the bill.”

RVT Group has grown from a small family-run organisation to a medium-size enterprise, with a long-standing team of experts meaning it has become one of the industry leaders in health hazard control.

It supplies products to contractors all around the UK and supports major contractors including Skanska, Balfour Beatty, Morgan Sindall, Kier, Willmott Dixon, Network Rail.

Preformed Windings employs a team of 80 highly skilled experienced staff to support customers in designing, manufacturing, and shipping high-quality coils. Its expertise includes spanning winding, insulation, coil design, and manufacturing precision and excellence, and is renowned for being the fastest coil manufacturers globally, excelling in short lead times for critical repairs.

RVT website
Preformed Windings website

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News: £3.4m to help South Yorkshire businesses reduce their carbon footprint

Businesses in South Yorkshire will benefit from a £3.4m investment to help them reduce their carbon emissions, improve resilience, and protect jobs.

Running until March 2025, the project will provide support to 260 small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) in Sheffield, Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham to help them understand the opportunities available to reduce their carbon footprint.

Businesses will benefit from a free energy audit to identify potential energy saving improvements such as low-energy lighting systems or insulation. Delivered by South Yorkshire’s local authorities, the project is part funded by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority’s Shared Prosperity Fund allocation.

Low carbon grants are also available to help businesses invest in solutions to reduce their energy consumption and costs, helping them to become more productive, resilient, and environmentally friendly.

As part of the package of support available, specialist advisors will provide comprehensive advice and support throughout the process.

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At Ashton Seals in Rotherham, new LED lighting and heating systems reduced electricity bills, improved working conditions and created a better environment for welcoming high-profile customers.

Zoe Fearnley, Managing Director at Ashton Seals, said: “The energy efficiency audit report was fantastic; it had lots of advice on what we could do differently. It was also good to be able to see what would result in the biggest carbon reduction for us.”

Also in Rotherham, Preformed Windings, who manufacture high-voltage coils, received support to help them replace their lighting with LED lamps and insulation for their cold store. This improved working conditions and created a longer shelf life for materials.

David Beresford, Technical Manager at Preformed Windings, said: “The quality of support was excellent: the auditor was friendly and patient, and the report detailed the costs of possible changes, the savings that could be made and the payback time of each suggestion. I’m confident that our energy costs now will be less than before we engaged with the programme.”

Rotherham Council’s Cabinet Member for Local Economy, Cllr Denise Lelliott, said: “Although the impact of climate change is becoming more openly talked about, not every business has the in-house knowledge to begin their sustainability journey. Fortunately, this scheme will provide businesses across the borough with invaluable access to low carbon advisors, and some of the funds necessary to make eco-friendly changes to the way the business operates that they wouldn’t have access to otherwise.”

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News: Preformed Windings setting up for growth

Global manufacturing experts, Preformed Windings, the world's leading supplier of preformed coils, associated products and services, could more than double its staff numbers over the next three years from new premises at Waleswood in Rotherham.

Rothbiz reported in August that the Sheffield firm was planning to invest around £2m in new premises at the Vector 31 development.

Acquired by Clyde Blowers in July 2014, the firm has seen a tripling in demand for its precision high voltage coils. Clyde Blowers Capital is a mid-market investor in industrial businesses and has committed significant investment to grow the company as part of the Parson Peebles Group.

Exporting to OEMs, repairers and end users worldwide, customers of Preformed Windings are in the power generation, electrical machinery, general engineering, oil & gas, water, transport, chemical, paper, extraction and shipping industries.

Having taken on the new 17,300 sq ft unit in the Summer, the £3m-turnover business has been working on relocating its manufacturing facility from Hackenthorpe.

Plans have recently been submitted for an electrical substation, additional plant enclosures - to house chiller and air compressor units - and a storage container at Vector 31. The works are essential to the operation of the facility that is being "custom-fitted to provide the state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities required for the company's expansion."

Dave Hardy, operations manager at Preformed Windings, said: "The current manufacturing facilities are located in a residential area of Sheffield and are not suitable for extension or significant changes to layout to maximise productivity. Therefore a high priority following the company's acquisition by Parson Peebles has been to move to newer, larger and suitable premises for growth.

"To maximise the opportunity available, significant investment needs to be made in state-of-the-art production facilities and plant and machinery. The relocation and expansion of the company will also require strengthening of the management structure and an increase in production staff.

"Recruitment has been ongoing with significant gains in management, sales and production levels, and it is anticipated that the company workforce will increase from 30 staff to around 70 staff over the next three years."

Developed by Network Space (previously known as Langtree), Vector 31 has proved popular due to its close proximity to the M1. It was developed over two phases and totals over 162,000 sq ft of industrial/warehouse units. Occupiers include Hermes, Century Plastics, CCPI Europe and Suplex UK. The Sheffield office of Knight Frank has been agents for the scheme.

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News: Preformed Windings heading to Vector 31

Preformed Windings, a specialist in high quality coils for traction motors, high voltage motors and generators, is investing over £2m in a move to a new custom fitted facility, set to be at Waleswood in Rotherham.

The Sheffield firm was acquired by Clyde Blowers in July 2014 and has seen a tripling in demand for its precision high voltage coils. Clyde Blowers Capital is a mid-market investor in industrial businesses and has committed significant investment to grow the company.

Exporting to OEMs, repairers and end users worldwide, customers of Preformed Windings are in the power generation, electrical machinery, general engineering, oil & gas, water, transport, chemical, paper, extraction and shipping industries.

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The firm has recently applied for signage and new external stores at Unit C of the successful Vector 31 development that was developed close to Junction 31 of the M1 by the Langtree Group (now known as NetworkSpace).

The firm said: "The new facility is 90% larger than our current premises and will provide enough capacity for the next few years of anticipated growth. The new facility will be fitted with the latest cutting, straightening, looping, shaping and taping machines and has been designed using advanced value stream mapping and lean principles. This all adds up to a coil offering that's already industry leading getting even better in terms of quality, service and speed of production."

Dedicated areas for high voltage coils, traction coil production, upgraded test capability and the ability to super fast-track coil batches to meet high voltage machine rewinds will all feature in the new facility. Investment is also being made to strengthen the ERP and CAD capabilities as well as staff recruitment and development.

Preformed Windings website

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