Metal components maker Multi-Stroke, based in Tipton, and castings company Thomas Dudley, used support from the Business Growth Service and Reshore UK to develop new tooling for Twistlock, which is used to secure containers.

It is now made and delivered more effectively that it was with its previous supplier in China.

Twistlock is used by freight companies across the world and was made in the UK until the early-2000s before the rise of steel prices.

Ian Wright, managing director of Multi-Stroke, said: “To be fair to the Chinese supplier, it has done a good job. However, we recognised the need to have greater control of exchange rate fluctuations and the end product, plus manufacturing in the UK is now more competitive through innovative design and investment in new technology.

“We approached our original UK supplier but they couldn’t meet the price so we gave Thomas Dudley the chance to offer us a solution for reshoring the product back to the Black Country.”

Wright added that the partnership could boost its existing annual turnover of £3.8m by providing “stability”.

Adrian Knowles, foundry development manager at Thomas Dudley, said: “We have invested heavily in the skills of our people and new technology to make sure we are able to deliver new casting solutions to customers such as Multi-Stroke.

“Both companies have worked extremely closely on the register casting to come up with a cost effective and world class product. We are just about to press the button on the first volume production run and look forward to developing the relationship for many more years to come.”