Hull toolmaker invests big to aid global manufacturers as it eyes expansion

May 19, 2023

£450,000 investment in new state-of-the-art equipment completes at Paragon

We have more newsletters

A Hull precision manufacturer has invested £450,000 in new high tech machinery to speed up production and increase automation.

Paragon Toolmaking's latest investment will serve an international order book, with products used across automotive, construction, aerospace, pharmaceuticals and white goods manufacturing.

And following a successful 2022, the company has invested in a new computer numerically controlled machine, which has a large three by two metres bed to cope with large die sets and plates, and works at twice the speed of machinery previously used by the Paragon team. A new automated 70cm by 100cm surface grinder will also help increase production speeds, freeing up team members to work on other projects once set running.

Read more: 2023's Top 30 Under 30 named as Humber region's rising stars recognised

The investment in National Avenue brings extra production capacity to serve new customers, and comes after the business was acquired two years ago by Daniel Beaumont, son of former England rugby union captain and television personality, Bill.

General manager Kevin Batty said it was essential to ensure the Hull business can continue to meet increasing demand for its expertise, maintaining its reputation for having one of the very best equipped tool rooms in the industry.

He said: "Daniel has invested heavily in the business since he bought it as he recognises that we have the potential to grow our customer base given the unrivalled expertise we offer. As a business we have always prided ourselves on the fact that we enter partnerships with our clients. Between 70 to 80 per cent of our business each year is from repeat customers, from customers requiring a couple of tooling projects a year to others needing more than 400 tooling projects.

"Now the aim is to keep growing and adding more new customers, as we did last year, and to ensure we can do that we have needed to invest, which Daniel is fully supportive of.

"The new equipment will make a big difference to our production abilities, which gives us the extra capacity to take on more orders."

Established in 1969, Paragon competes on a global scale. The investment follows the purchase of a new computer numerical controlled coordinate measuring machine last year.

Mr Batty says Paragon continues to find the balance of investing in both equipment and people, with the business boasting 230 years’ combined experience in precision toolmaking. "The knowledge we have within our business continues to stand us apart," he said.

"You can have the very best equipment, but our job is about engineering knowledge and expertise to be able to design and manufacture bespoke tooling which allows clients to make bespoke products which often require challenging manufacturing processes.

"That is the reason clients have remained loyal to us for over 50 years, and why parts and products manufactured with tooling made in our Hull factory are used by the likes of Range Rover, Siemens, Audi, Ford, VW, BMW, Mini and Lotus."

Read next:RWE appoints Hull contractor for multi-million pound new Grimsby HubSwift gears up to feed the 1,500 as new staff facilities added to fuel leisure growth ambitionVolta Trucks' EV approval to bring huge Hull orders to life as 240 jobs are createdHumber's freeport status could be declared in daysAll your Humber business news in one place - bookmark it now