A manufacturing and engineering recruitment company, which has become the market leader in its home city, has opened an office in Coventry as part of its ambitious growth plans.
Metalis was formed in Sheffield four years ago by Luke Bell and Sam Wilkinson to help manufacturers and engineering businesses in the city find the right staff.
Now, the company has chosen Coventry as the base for its second office and has moved into space at the University of Warwick Science Park’s Business Innovation Centre in Binley.
The office is being run by branch operations manager Jake Crowley, and Metalis has already taken on three consultants after hitting the ground running just a few weeks after arriving in the city.
The plan is to follow the same model as the Sheffield branch where it grew from four people to 25 in the space of just four years.
The business supports a cross-section of firms, including everything from aerospace and automotive through to pharmaceuticals, placing everything from CNC operators and assembly staff through to office-based roles.
Jake said the Business Innovation Centre was the ideal home for Metalis.
He said: “We have gone from strength to strength in Sheffield and Rotherham and wanted to expand into a new area of the UK.
“The West Midlands was a natural choice and, with everything that is happening in Coventry, this was the perfect location. The region is home to so many amazing manufacturing and engineering businesses – including some of the best-known names across the world as well as lots of small and medium sized companies in the supply chain.
“The Business Innovation Centre was just what we needed. It’s in an ideal location, the offices are high-quality and it gives us an opportunity to grow the team here.
“It’s also a hub for other businesses and organisations in our sector and, once we’ve been here for a few weeks, I can see real opportunities in building a network and working with some of the companies on site.
“We have really hit the ground running and can see lots of opportunities where businesses are recruiting. It is still very much a candidates’ market, especially in our area of work that is providing skilled labour into the industry.”
Victoria Lynch, centre manager of the University of Warwick Science Park’s Business Innovation Centre, said occupation rates are increasing.
She said: “It is great to welcome a business from outside of the region who have seen an opportunity to invest and grow in the West Midlands, and that they have chosen this as the perfect location to do that.
“Over recent weeks we’ve attracted several new businesses into the offices here and, in general, the centre is busier than it has been since before the pandemic.
“That buzz of all of the different companies being based here is one of the reasons that Metalis opted for the Business Innovation Centre and they are ideally located to tap into the world class manufacturing and engineering firms we have on our doorstep.”
Pictured: Jake Crowley (centre) with (left to right) Lily Grossman, Aimee Smith, Annishia Harbron, Victoria Lynch