SDE Technology - Best Practice Factory Tour

If you want an honest view of UK manufacturing in 2026, put manufacturing leaders in a room and let one of them speak plainly.

That is exactly what happened at the historic Albright Hussey Manor Hotel in Shrewsbury, where Made in Group's members met before heading to SDE Technology’s factory floor.

Before the shuttle buses moved - before anyone saw a press, laser or powder line - Managing Director Richard Homden addressed the room.

No padded slides. No softened language. Just clarity.

 Manufacturing leaders connect and exchange insight during pre-tour networking at Albright Hussey Manor Hotel.

A Clear-Eyed View of the Market

SDE - Salop Design & Engineering - was established in 1967 and remains a second-generation family business. Today it employs 135 people and generated £17 million in revenue last year.

Operating from a purpose-built Shrewsbury facility, SDE delivers metal pressings, high-integrity fabrications and complete assemblies, integrating high-tonnage presswork, advanced fibre laser cutting, CNC folding, welding, tooling support and powder coating under one roof.

Richard Homden didn’t soften the context.

Automotive demand remains sluggish across Europe and the US. Chinese EV imports are rising. Environmental reporting requirements, steel safeguarding issues and increasing energy transmission costs are adding friction across UK supply chains.

Then came the pivot.

“The strong will get stronger.”

Managing Director Richard Homden addresses members, outlining SDE’s growth ambition and market outlook for 2026.

Built for Scale - and Backed by Leadership

Over the past decade, SDE has invested heavily in mechanical and hydraulic presses, progression tooling and large-tonnage capability from 100 to 1,000 tonnes. Fabrication, laser processing and powder coating operate within a single integrated footprint.

The capacity is installed. The systems are in place. But the real inflection point is the leadership bench assembled to unlock what’s already on the ground.

After completing the Help to Grow programme, the senior teamsharpened the company’s purpose to “engineering a sustainable future, trusted by the world’s leading manufacturers”, supported by five values - integrity, dependability, grit, innovation and together.

“For us, integrity is doing the right thing - even when it costs you money,” Homden explained.

He was equally clear about what unlocks growth.

“You need the better people in order to get to where you wantto get to.”

In the past year, SDE has strengthened its leadership team with experienced Tier 1 automotive professionals across sales, engineering and quality - people who know what good looks like.

The machinery came first. The leadership bench followed.

The ambition is clear - grow revenue from £17 million to £45 million - not through speculative expansion, but by utilising capacity already installed and upgrading commercial capability.

Richard Homden framed his role as stewardship - trying to pass the baton on in a better way than it was passed to him.

That mindset explains the tone in the room. Honest about the pressure. Confident about the structure.

Members examine one of SDE’s high-capacity presses as technical discussions unfold around tooling and production flow.

From Strategy to Steel

After the hotel briefing, members boarded the shuttle and moved from strategy to steel.

Inside the facility, the conversations continued over the rhythm of presses and the pulse of the factory

Groups walked the press shop floor where 100 to 1,000 tonne presses stood in disciplined formation. Directors leaned in closer, asking about changeover times, tooling strategy and uptime.

The powder coating line completed the loop - colour, finish and durability applied in-house rather than outsourced, giving SDE control over lead time and quality.

This was not a staged walkthrough.

What stood out was alignment. Infrastructure built with intent. Leadership upgraded with purpose. Ambition backed by installed capability.

Made in the Midlands’ Best Practice Factory Tour programme exists for exactly this reason - to create space where real manufacturers can speak openly, benchmark performance, share operational thinking and build meaningful commercial relationships.

These are not passive site visits. They are working sessions.

In Shrewsbury, members did not just hear about scale.

They walked it.

Capacity installed. Team aligned. Growth deliberate.