A successful year for Penso Group
Penso Group, a Coventry-based engineering business, has announced a series of new contracts worth over £50 million, following a successful year of expansion. The company, which specialises in designing and manufacturing lightweight composite structures for the automotive, aerospace, and rail sectors, has secured deals with customers in Europe, Asia, and North America.
The new contracts include supplying carbon fibre body panels for a luxury car manufacturer, developing electric vehicle battery enclosures for a global automotive supplier, and delivering composite train doors for a leading rail operator. Penso Group has also won a contract to design and build a prototype hydrogen fuel cell bus, as part of a UK government-funded project to decarbonise public transport.
The company has invested over £20 million in its Coventry facility, which houses a state-of-the-art composite centre, a digital engineering hub, and a low-volume production line. The expansion has created over 250 new jobs, bringing the total workforce to more than 600 people.
A leader in composite technology
Penso Group was founded in 2000 by Daniel Hurcombe and Michael Collins, two former Jaguar Land Rover engineers. The company has grown to become a leader in composite technology, offering end-to-end solutions from design and engineering to manufacturing and testing.
The company’s composite centre, which opened in 2020, is one of the largest and most advanced in Europe. It features a 3,500-tonne press, a robotic trimming cell, and a 5-axis CNC machine, capable of producing large and complex composite parts in high volumes. The centre also has a dedicated R&D area, where the company develops new materials and processes to meet the evolving needs of its customers.
The company’s digital engineering hub, which was launched in 2021, is a cutting-edge facility that uses artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cloud computing to optimise the design and performance of composite structures. The hub also enables the company to collaborate with its customers and partners remotely, using virtual reality and augmented reality tools.
The company’s low-volume production line, which was established in 2019, is a flexible and efficient system that can produce up to 10,000 vehicles per year. The line can accommodate different types of vehicles, from vans and trucks to buses and coaches, and can switch between models in less than an hour. The line also incorporates advanced automation and quality control systems, ensuring high standards of safety and reliability.
A vision for the future
Penso Group’s co-founder and managing director, Daniel Hurcombe, said that the company’s expansion was driven by its vision to become a global leader in lightweight composite solutions. He said that the company’s composite technology had multiple benefits, such as reducing weight, improving fuel efficiency, lowering emissions, and enhancing performance.
He also said that the company was committed to innovation and sustainability, and that it was constantly exploring new opportunities and markets. He said that the company’s hydrogen fuel cell bus project was an example of how the company was contributing to the green agenda, and that it was also looking into other applications of composite technology, such as wind turbines and marine vessels.
He added that the company was proud of its Coventry roots, and that it was keen to support the local community and economy. He said that the company had invested in training and development programmes, and that it had partnered with local universities and colleges to attract and retain talent. He also said that the company had sponsored several local initiatives and events, such as the Coventry City of Culture 2021 and the Coventry Half Marathon.
He concluded by saying that the company was optimistic about the future, and that it had a strong pipeline of projects and prospects. He said that the company aimed to double its turnover and workforce by 2025, and that it was confident that it had the capabilities and resources to achieve its goals.
