New Kids From The Bloc

Thomas Storey Fabrications Ltd is the number one supplier to the manufacturers of heavy plant such as JCB and Caterpillar, making steel chassis and earthmoving buckets.

Success: MD Fred Ellis

And the earth is definitely moving for them. In 1996, the company moved into a new 100,000 sq ft factory in Openshaw. And annual sales for 2007 are forecast to exceed £27 million, double that in 2004.

Managing Director Fred Ellis puts that rapid growth down to the arrival of skilled workers from Europe. Half of the company’s 300 workforce now comes from EU countries such as the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Engineering skills

“We were growing strongly four years ago and struggling to find sufficient UK nationals with skills in basic engineering disciplines,” he said. “So were forced to travel to Eastern Europe and recruit workers there.”

"The downside for my company? There isn’t one. They’re bringing traditional engineering skills. They’re already trained and obviously work in their countries is not plentiful at the times we’re bringing them in. It’s a European market economy, simple as that. It’s why we joined.”

Slovak success

Marek Pazdur is part of the Thomas Storey success story. With a background in engineering he came here from Slovakia two years ago and now lives in Reddish, Stockport. He says the company made it an easy move:

Thomas Storey factory in Openshaw

“In Slovakia, I had a job which was 200 miles from home, so I saw my wife and family only over the weekends. But the possibility was to go abroad also because of my English. So therefore, I decided to come here. In my case, it wasn’t so hard because my brother was already working from Thomas Storey so he told me what I could expect and what I had to do.

And Thomas Storey was also doing good things. If they are asking for some people from Czech Repbulic or Slovakia, they are preparing the ground for them, preparing the houses, help them with renting a home and arrange for them National Insurance and everything. So I think it’s easy to come here."

While keen to harness European labour, Thomas Storey is still committed to training a number of British workers at the local college, for which it has received an Investors in People Award.

"But if you’re growing quickly then you need a balance," added Mr Ellis.

"We’re training six people every year in the skills we need. But in the last 12 months, we’ve taken on 60 people. Now, we can’t get that from apprentice training courses which are running for three or four years."