Turnmill Engineering unveils new branding ahead of growth plans

A North East engineering company has undergone a brand update ahead of plans to diversify into new markets, driven by ongoing growth.

Turnmill Engineering, based at Washington Business Centre in Sunderland, has unveiled a new logo and website which gives a fresh sense of the firm as it plans to break into the pharmaceutical and defence sectors.

Specialising in the manufacture of components, jigs, fixtures and workholding equipment, Turnmill uses advanced engineering software and specialist CNC machines to deliver solutions from design through to manufacture.

Since its launch in 2018, the company has grown 43 per cent year-on-year, working with businesses predominantly in the automotive, construction and motorsport sectors to bring new products to market and improve production processes.

The grant-funded brand update, which was facilitated by SME Marketing Consultant Rachel Skeoch and completed by local design agency Courage Creative, was made possible through the Next Generation Advanced Manufacturing Accelerator (N-GAMA) project which is part funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). N-Gama is a collaboration between the North East Automotive Alliance (NEAA) and Sunderland City Council to support companies looking to adopt digital technologies to become more competitive.

Andrew Howe, Turnmill co-founder and Operations Director, said: "Our new logo and website reflects who we are today as a business, as well as our future aspirations. I'm an engineer, not a designer, so we're grateful for this grant which has enabled us to work with a professional team of creatives to help us better communicate who we are and what we do for prospective customers.

"Our strategy is to differentiate the company as the North East's trusted manufacturer of components, jigs and fixtures across the region's key industry sectors, and this brand refresh is supporting us in doing that."

The grant is also being used to support Turnmill's marketing efforts and its aim to become ISO 9001 certified - the world's most recognised quality management system standard - which will open up new markets and help the firm win customers and contracts.

Andrew added: "Some customers and sectors will only work with ISO 9001 accredited companies as it gives them assurance that your management systems are consistently assessed and approved. By gaining this certification, we will be able to expand our customer base further."

Turnmill has ambitious plans and its drive for growth includes increasing annual turnover from £340k to £2.5 million, growing from a team of 6 to 20 employees, and owning its own factory by 2025.

Cllr Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, said: "Turnmill Engineering has gone from strength to strength since moving into Washington Business Centre, which was launched to help SMEs scale and grow.

"Manufacturing is a key sector in our economy, both for Sunderland and the wider region, and we were therefore keen to work with the North East Automotive Alliance to develop this grant programme to be able to support companies like Turnmill Engineering to grow and create more employment opportunities for residents.

"The new website and logo look fantastic and it's great to see the team at Turnmill using the N-GAMA grant to drive their business forward to reach more customers within more sectors across the region."