A fast-growing Black Country manufacturer is reaping its commitment to world class quality by increasing its existing work in the nuclear sector by 15%.
Alloy Wire International made the announcement during the official presentation of its ISO 19443 accreditation by certification specialist LRQA at its modern factory in Brierley Hill earlier this week.
The company, which employs 29 people, becomes what many industry experts believe is the first precision wire manufacturer to secure the global quality standard for supplying critical components and material to the demanding sector.
It took just nine months to complete the rigorous assessment, with the firm praised for achieving zero non-conformities and its strong quality management systems.
AWI has already used the certification to reinforce its presence in the nuclear market, securing up to £150,000 of additional sales from customers supplying parts for nuclear reactors, mini reactors and in the complex world of decommissioning.
Kevin Guest, Head of Quality, Health & Safety and Environmental Management at Alloy Wire International, commented: “When the founders launched AWI eighty years ago, they did so with quality at the heart of the business – in the material we produced and in the way we looked after our customers.
“Operating to the highest standards is still the bedrock of our company in 2026 and this latest nuclear certification reinforces how we can modify existing robust systems to ensure they meet the bespoke needs of a sector that is arguably one of the most demanding in the world.”
He continued: “ISO 19443 was probably the standard with the most involvement from every member of the team. Culture was paramount and everyone had to understand the importance of traceability and where the material was heading, whether they worked in production, packaging or in sales.”
LRQA’s Inny Mahal (Assessment Client Operations Team Leader) and James Whateley (Strategic Account Manager) made the official presentation to Alloy Wire recently.
It is the first time the two companies have worked together on a quality certification journey, with the AWI management team tapping into the risk management organisation’s extensive experience and understanding of the nuclear sector.
This expertise certainly helped to streamline the assessment process and develop an even stronger ‘people culture’ across the business.
Simon Payne, Executive Vice President UKI, at LRQA added his support: “Alloy Wire International’s ISO 19443 achievement demonstrates a commitment to quality, traceability and continuous improvement. Drawing on decades of experience supporting organisations across the nuclear supply chain, LRQA is proud to have supported the team, strengthening its confidence in delivering safety-critical products and services to the sector.”
Precision drawn round, flat and profile wire manufactured at AWI’s state-of-the-art facility has high temperature and corrosion resistant properties ideal for end-use applications and components destined for nuclear, including high performance springs and seals.
Inconel 718, Inconel X750, Alloy 400, Nimonic 90, Alloy 80A and Stainless Steel 316 are the six most popular alloys being requested by the company’s global client base and all are currently available in just three weeks from placing the order.
“Traceability is a major pre-requisite and the ability to prove the authenticity of the materials (traced back all the way to the mills) we process at our factory,” added Kevin.
“A close working relationship with our suppliers ensures we get their original data that we can then build into the ISO 19443-approved management system.”
He concluded: “Alongside this, we have invested more than £500,000 into bringing a lot of subcontract testing services in house so we can retain as much control as possible, not to mention speed of turnaround with the well-documented backlog being seen at testing houses.”
