TODAY we continue our weekly focus on the Sussex Super Growth Awards, which recognise the fastest-growing businesses.

Their success will be celebrated at an awards event at the Amex Stadium at Falmer on March 8.

It is sponsored by asb law, Lloyds Bank and Kreston Reeves in partnership with The Argus.

Here we focus on two more successful finalists.

Ferrabyrne Ltd was established in 1970 by the merger of Byrne Mouldings with Ferring Rubber, both of which started in the 1960s.

The company’s main markets are the mass transport and commercial vehicle markets.

Other industrial applications include wind turbines, anti-vibration components and pump diaphragms.

Ferrabyrne uses specialised manufacturing processes to produce a range of high-technology rubber-to-metal components and is a leading supplier of custom designed and developed suspension systems, such as anti-roll bar systems and traction centre assemblies, fitted to railway bogies.

The company has established a strong reputation as a high-quality supplier of products and services to its international blue-chip customer base.

In 2012 Ken Horton took over as managing director and in November 2016 he led the management team through a management buyout of the business, backed by YFM Equity Partners.

Throughout this time the business has invested heavily in improvements to factory facilities and significantly expanded its product range and service offering.

Growth has been achieved within the UK and internationally.

Ferrabyrne’s specialised manufacturing processes produce a range of rubber-to-metal components

Operating from a specialist facility located in Littlehampton, the factory comprises moulding shop, finishing and assembly areas, tool room, test room and warehousing facility.

This permits all production-related design, manufacture, servicing, testing, storage and inspection to be carried out in-house.

In 2015, Ferrabyrne opened an office in China to progress substantial business opportunities there and has recently received formal design approval for its high-speed train anti-roll bar system from CRRC – the largest train manufacturer in the world.

To continue its globalisation strategy, Ferrabyrne has also entered into a joint venture in India, with a partner in Pune, and manufacturing commenced there during the last year.

The credentials of UK technology, coupled with local market content is proving to be a desirable combination in most world markets.

Mecmesin celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2017 and is an established market leader in the design and manufacture of force and torque testing solutions.

The products manufactured by the privately-owned company, based in Slinfold near Horsham, are used by companies across many industries in their quality control process to evaluate the mechanical strength of raw materials, components and finished products.

This enables thousands of customers worldwide to maximise productivity, identify defects, reduce waste, and ensure compliance with rigorous industry test standards.

Mecmesin has expanded globally with subsidiary companies in France, Germany, the USA, China and Thailand plus a strong distribution network that now operates in more than 50 countries.

Mecmesin’s latest product is the OmniTest 5.0, the company’s first truly universal testing machine

From simple hand-held instruments through to complex automated testing systems, Mecmesin products are designed to suit a wide range of test applications, budgets and changing needs.

Its focus has always been to provide an affordable yet easy-to-use alternative to the many higher-priced systems available, enabling small and large businesses alike to undertake quality control checks on their products without compromising on precision.

The rugged design of these systems means they can withstand tough factory conditions allowing manufacturers to perform quality-control tests at the point of production rather than having to send out samples to expensive external laboratories and wait for results.

Mecmesin has no plans to rest on its laurels in its fifth decade in business.

With enviable organic sales growth over the last five years Mecmesin is now focused on developing its next range of products, based on the company’s new VectorPro technology platform.

Mecmesin’s latest product launch is the OmniTest 5.0, the company’s first truly universal testing machine and VectorPro MT material analysis software designed for the materials testing market.

Powerful, intuitive and touch screen friendly, VectorPro MT has been designed with ease of use at the forefront through an intuitive drag and drop test builder, icon driven graphing tools and highly configurable reporting options.

Finance director Ian Lineham said: “The materials testing market is poised for strong and steady growth in the coming years and Mecmesin plans to grow with it.

“The company remains committed to delivering high quality force and torque measurement products for quality control, while exploring opportunities globally in growth markets like materials testing.”

For further information about the Sussex Super Growth Awards contact: neil.gardner@asb-law.com