Amid challenges, shifting customer needs and a dynamic regulatory framework, 2025 saw Fairgrieve Compression Moulding thrive.
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The business has gained momentum over the past three to four years, as Barry explains, “We’ve worked incredibly hard to ensure the foundations are in place to perform to our best every day. This has involved working towards global ISO accreditations, investing in new machinery and tooling on the factory floor, as well as continually training our people. We’ve been recognised for our efforts at several industry and regional award events, which helped open doors. When potential clients come and visit us, see how we work and meet our people, it’s usually a good footing to start discussing potential projects.”
Among the biggest growth drivers was Fairgrieve’s work within the electronics and automotive sectors. The springboard for success? The versatility of compression moulding, as Barry notes, “It’s suited to many sectors, particularly those involving intense, high-pressure environments, so we don’t find ourselves limited in our customer base.”
He continues, “Over the years, our staple industries have been mining, marine and offshore, aviation and hazardous sectors, but we’ve supplied thousands of our products to the electrical sector yearly. Our electrical products, for example, have long been used in manufacturing facilities to manage high-power requirements for large machinery and processing equipment, and in infrastructure for residential, commercial and industrial buildings. Now, there’s huge demand in sectors which require uninterruptible power supplies, such as data centres, so we can find new avenues for our products.”
2025 proved to be a busy year for the business, which had to both recruit and increase working hours. And as any busy year, it came with its own set of challenges.
Barry elaborates, “Manufacturing remains a tough industry – that has never changed. Few businesses are fortunate enough not to face challenges. It’s the ones that overcome them that eventually succeed, and as we’ve been around for 113 years, we’ve clearly done that. Not every deal comes to fruition, and the landscape can change from month to month. You have to respond appropriately and positively, and we have experience in this.”
One of the main challenges manufacturing is facing is the skills shortage. However, this proved key to Fairgrieve’s success last year. On this point, Barry says, “Recruitment was a necessity as we had such a strong year in terms of orders and growth. It’s not an easy process. In the past, we’ve struggled to find the skills and type of people we needed. This time, we recruited over a six-month period, adding a couple of people at a time to ensure we could fully train them before recruiting more. This ensured the people we took on were able to do the job to the standards we required.” He continues, “We’re a business with an owner who has proven willing to invest. We’ve put ourselves in a position where we have some of the best machinery and skilled people in the industry, which means we can take on demanding jobs that others in our sector can’t.”
2026 is already looking strong. Barry concludes, “As always, there’s plenty on the radar, and as ever, it’s all about turning potentials into confirmed. In terms of our long-term future, we just need to keep doing what we have been doing in recent years. Quality has brought work in quantity. Hopefully, we can maintain that model.”