Good growth in every postcode 21st October 2026

Andy Burnham’s pledge to the country is “good growth in every postcode and hope in every heart”. What would this look like in practice? The answer lies in the economic success stories of British companies – small, medium and large – across the UK and building on these successes across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Each week, Paul Dimoldenberg looks at economic news from across the country to identify what “good growth” looks like in a diverse set of local communities to deliver the much-needed economic growth to power the economy and deliver new jobs, increased wealth and additional tax revenues to pay for improved public services. This week we feature:

• East Midlands manufacturer grows as demand takes off (NG16)
• Coventry foundry invests in 3D sand core printing
• Chesterfield businesses expand in Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre (S40)
• Stoke on Trent manufacturer hits £3m turnover in first year (ST4)
• Sunderland engineering firm expands at Washington Business Centre (SR5)
• Mayoral fund helps Scarborough marine cultivation company create jobs (YO13)
• Plant-based oils business makes significant investment in Hull (HU9)

East Midlands: East Midlands manufacturer grows as demand takes off (NG16)

Profits have more than tripled at Toray Advanced Composites UK, an East Midlands advanced materials manufacturer, after increased demand from the space sector helped sales rise by almost three-quarters. The company, which is based at Amber Drive in Langley Mill, saw turnover rise by 74% from £21.5 million to £37.3 million in the year to March 31, 2026. The company also expanded its workforce during the year, with average employee numbers rising from 82 to 103.

Toray Advanced Composites UK develops and manufactures advanced thermoset prepregs in fabric and unidirectional tape form and is part of Japanese group Toray Industries’ worldwide advanced composites division.

Coventry: Foundry becomes first in UK to invest in 3D sand core printing (CV4)

Coventry-based Sarginsons Industries has become the first UK foundry to invest in inorganic 3D sand core printing technology, part of its wider push to industrialise advanced British casting. The £800,000 investment introduces a system capable of producing printed sand cores at around 54 litres per hour, reducing the time to produce a finished aluminium casting from as long as six to eight weeks to potentially 24 hours. The technology allows for increasingly complex, lightweight components to be developed faster without compromising manufacturability, while also reducing harmful emissions typically associated with conventional binder systems.

It also improves sand recyclability, reduces waste and simplifies core removal, alongside cutting harmful emissions typically associated with conventional binder systems. Sarginsons, established more than 80 years ago, is already lead partner in the £5.8 million government-backed PIVOT programme, delivered with the Department for Business and Trade, Advanced Propulsion Centre, Aston Martin, Siemens, Brunel University and GESCRAP, and is developing proposals for a £30 million Future Foundry casting industrialisation hub.

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Chesterfield: Businesses expand in Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre (S40)

Seven businesses have expanded in Chesterfield’s Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre, creating new opportunities for local people and helping to ensure that Chesterfield remains a thriving borough. The businesses expanding in the centre offer a range of professional services and products, and office expansion has been driven by increased sales and larger teams working for the companies.

• Intuitive Infrastructure Solutions 
• Nuzest, an Australian plant-based nutritional supplements company 
• Apogee, a creative marketing business
• Best Solicitors 
• Integrated Interest, a software platform provider 
• National Grid 
• Fox and Edwards, an events and heritage business.

Stoke on Trent: Manufacturer hits £3m turnover in first year (ST4)

Stoke-on-Trent manufacturer Securexit has grown from start-up to more than 30 employees and £3 million in forecast turnover, one year after securing equity investment from UKSE. The company, based on the Newstead Industrial Estate, secured investment and additional loan finance from UKSE to launch the business in September 2025, establishing a 20,000 sq ft manufacturing facility with production beginning just two months later.

Securexit manufactures bespoke steel fire and safety external doors for clients across the retail, industrial, education and healthcare sectors, and has continued to invest in new equipment while establishing a dedicated sales team, with plans to recruit additional internal sales colleagues later this year. Securexit has a five-year plan to grow revenue to £10 million through continued investment, product innovation and strategic expansion.

Sunderland: Engineering firm expands at Washington Business Centre (SR5)

Hartech Automation, an engineering firm which helps some of the world’s largest manufacturers embrace industrial automation, has expanded its head office at Washington Business Centre. Hartech Automation specialises in supplying, implementing and overseeing control systems and automation solutions for manufacturers across a range of sectors. The company also supports upgrades to existing machinery and solutions, enabling businesses to bring old equipment up to date or upgrade it with newer versions.

The decision to expand its presence at the centre and take on an extra 863 sq ft – taking its total footprint to 2,403 sq ft – was inspired by its proximity to some of the region’s largest manufacturing hubs, the flexibility it offers growing businesses and its access to major transport routes.

Scarborough: Mayoral fund helps marine cultivation company create jobs (YO13)

Seagrown, a Scarborough company, is creating jobs and protecting the environment using an innovative approach to growing seaweed and shellfish in the North Sea. With funding from the York and North Yorkshire Labour Mayor’s Carbon Negative Challenge Fund, SeaGrown has launched project SeaSwell to process Yorkshire seaweed into biostimulants for crop growth and food ingredients. This opens the potential for supporting food and agricultural industries across North Yorkshire while reducing carbon, cleaning the ocean and supporting biodiversity.

Seagrown are sustainably growing kelp four miles off the Scarborough coast. The project has enabled SeaGrown to take on new staff, including trainee marine crew and scientists, to join its team. The Mayor’s Carbon Negative Challenge Fund provides support to projects pioneering ways to decarbonise the region while stimulating growth and supporting businesses and communities. It includes community energy sources, retrofitting buildings and sustainable agriculture schemes.

Hull: Plant-based oils business makes significant investment in Hull (HU9)

AAK, a plant-based oils producer, is expanding production capacity and capability at its site at King George Dock, at the Port of Hull, supported by funding from Humber Freeport. The company produces plant-based oils for a range of food markets, supplying bakeries, confectioners, pubs, takeaways and supermarkets.

AAK has been based in Hull since 1982, when it was founded as Anglia Oils, and today employs about 300 people in the city. The business has received £2 million of funding through Humber Freeport’s seed capital fund, supporting the first phase of AAK’s investment programme. The funding is set to help strengthen AAK’s long-term presence in Hull, supporting the site’s continued development and future success.

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