Bridgnorth precision casting specialist targets further growth in defence, aerospace and energy

A Bridgnorth firm has secured more than £30m in new orders across defence, energy and aerospace in the first six months of 2026.

Grainger & Worrall, which received the King’s Award for Innovation in 2025, is deploying its expertise in complex aluminium sand casting to win work with customers manufacturing light aircraft engines, specialist vehicle transmissions and data centre applications.

The company, which has delivered precision casting solutions for more than 70 years and employs over 450 people across dedicated facilities on Stanmore Industrial Estate, put a diversification strategy in place 18 months ago to offset dropping volumes in its core automotive business.

Turning the corner

Chief executive Duncan Eldridge said: “We’ve had a difficult time in recent years, with a depressed automotive sector, combined with the impact of Trump’s tariffs, extortionately high energy costs and NIC and minimum wage increases, creating an extremely tough trading environment.

“Our transition into new markets has turned things around and given us a robust foundation to grow again.”

He added: “We have deep capabilities born from experience and investment in metallurgical science, computer modelling, digital sand printing and laser metrology, which means we move very fast to make prototypes, sometimes within 48 hours.

“These attributes are very well suited for clients in defence, aerospace and energy. This is just the start and we’re expecting further wins between now and the end of 2026.”

A recent refinancing agreement is providing the financial backing to support the next phase of growth.

The senior management team has signed off a £1m investment programme, including upgrades to digital sand printing technology, and is recruiting 30 new staff across manufacturing, maintenance and quality.