Washington’s Fairgrieve Compression Moulding eyes expansion
Fairgrieve Compression Moulding, based in Washington, Tyne & Wear, reported a 52 per cent sales growth in 2025 and has doubled its workforce following a surge in demand, particularly from the electronics sector.
The 113-year-old business, based in Washington, said the past year was one of its strongest on record, with additional momentum coming from a contract with a UK-based manufacturer serving the automotive industry.
Barry Davidson, managing director, said: “The growth weβve achieved in 2025 is a testament to the trust our customers place in us and the dedication of our team.
“Weβre busier than weβve ever been and weβre managing the demand well because we were prepared to commit time and money to developing the business in 2025, and Iβm really proud of that.
“Our work within the electronics sector and the UK automotive supply chain has created a strong platform for continued expansion, and we are confident of further success in 2026.”
The company began a six-month recruitment and training programme to help meet growing demand, resulting in record monthly outputs and figures.
It recorded growth across diverse product lines, including electrical insulation, component enclosures, and other precision-engineered parts built to rigorous industry standards.
With a strong order book for 2026, continued investment in operations, and strong partnerships with UK manufacturers in critical sectors, Fairgrieve is forecasting another year of 50 per cent growth.
Mr Davidson said focused investment in recruitment and training is already delivering results, boosting productivity, and enabling the company to meet existing demand while exploring new opportunities.
He said: “We introduced new people to the business gradually, rather than having one single big recruitment drive, as we wanted to ensure we not only had more hands on deck, but that we committed the right amount of time to training.
“This ensured people were fully comfortable in their new roles and able to work to our high-quality standards before we began to add more new faces, as our experienced team then had to commit the time to supporting them.
“If you do something like this too quickly you run the risk of productivity falling and missing customer deadlines, so by taking our time in ensuring we recruited people of good calibre, over a longer period of time, we got it right and we are now reaping the rewards and well placed to deal with the longer terms needs of the business.”
As the team continues to grow, Fairgrieve said it remains committed to its long-term business development strategy.
Mr Davidson said the future looks promising.
He said: “We are in a good place, and things are really positive as we plan ahead.
“Our order book for 2026 is strong and looking healthy which is a great way to start the new year.”