Bulgaria success

William Hughes specialises in the manufacture of springs and bent wire assemblies. Production is split between its UK headquarters in Dorset and Bulgaria, depending on the type of product and the location of the customer; for example, products requiring a higher labour content are generally channelled to Bulgaria. Torsion springs are a particular area of expertise in Plovdiv and there is additionally a strong local demand for this type of spring. 

William Hughes is also an approved supplier for Johnson Controls and a major new contract for Turkey involving parts for a popular minibus, has accounted for a 20% increase in turnover. More than 45 new parts are involved, including a mixture of bent wire, springs and assemblies.

New machinery and processes have been installed in Bulgaria to help support the UK manufacturing facility. For example, last year, four new wire forming machines were installed bringing the total in Bulgaria to 29. Robot welding capacity has been increased two-fold with 6 robots being fully utilised.

The company has also added two vertical injection moulding machines with a capacity of 120 and 250t. Traditionally, William Hughes has made clipped car seat mats but these new machines allow the seat mats to be over-moulded, dispensing with the need for clips altogether and providing an assembly that is both strong and fast to manufacture.