McMenon: serving 62 countries
Over the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing the stories of some of Cumbria’s exporters to inspire and showcase the benefits of expanding your business overseas to drive growth. In this series, we’ll look at some of the key considerations for any business looking to expand to trade internationally, and explain how the Department of International Trade (DIT) can support you and your business at every stage of the export process.
McMenon’s mission is to be the globally trusted partner of choice for flow, temperature, process measurement solutions and contract manufacturing services.
McMenon Engineering Services is a manufacturer with a 74-year engineering heritage employing 65 people at its 100,000 sq. ft factory and headquarters in Workington, Cumbria. The company’s value proposition is “Excellence in delivering engineering, manufacturing and measurement solutions”.
Since acquiring the Workington factory from Global automation giants ABB in 2018, the company has invested significantly in product development, certifications and added new markets. Through inspired thinking and the positive attitude of its people, McMenon has enjoyed significant success over the last three years averaging over 15,000 instruments delivered from its factory each year ranging from 100gm instruments to large fabricated products in excess of 10 tons.
The highlight of McMenon’s growth has been export expansion in serving 62 countries in the Far East, Middle East, North and South America, Africa and Australia. Further growth abroad with satellite bases to serve different markets across the world and increasing operational and sales footprint globally is its ambition. McMenon launched the first British manufacturing facility of flow and temperature instrumentation in Saudi Arabia with a centre of excellence in Dammam in a joint venture with GulfTek Arabia. But whatever part of the world it operates in the company will always be serving its clients with UK manufacturing expertise.
McMenon’s problem-solving culture, agile thinking and ability to adapt has enabled the business to seamlessly adopt new technology. This smooth flowing transition to utilising digital tools puts McMenon in an excellent position for the business and the team to enjoy further success.
McMenon has achieved international standards in safety, environment and quality in a relatively short space of time. These include OHSAS 18001 (ISO 45001), MCERTS, BS EN ISO 14001, ISO 9001, ATEX QAN.
This has underpinned a high-performing manufacturing process, as has McMenon’s success in securing the EN ISO 3834 welding capability, PED and AD 2000 accreditation – a clear statement of the company’s commitment to providing quality products as it seeks to win new work in the UK and internationally.
As the business looks ahead, applying and adapting new technologies for the renewables and low carbon energy sector is an important priority. On the third anniversary of acquiring the business, at the very forefront of McMenon’s strategy is to ensure its ambitions and successes are achieved by ensuring it progresses to a low carbon, carbon neutral, and ultimately carbon negative organisation.
McMenon sees adapting its world-renowned expertise in flow and temperature measurement technologies and its accredited facilities for the renewables sector and low carbon energy systems, including hydrogen, as a clear next step for the company. To meet its ambitions sooner McMenon is keen on collaborating with, and even acquiring, other companies who share these values.
The future for McMenon is to continue its export strategy and also focus on closer collaborations with local Cumbrian businesses.
For information and assistance on trading internationally, please get in touch with our Export Manager, Sarah Peak, who joins our team on secondment from the DIT. She can help with any enquiries you may have and enable your business to export and grow into global markets: sarah.peak@tradenw.org.