Case Study
Encocam
Encocam is a Huntingdon-based manufacturing company operating under eight different brands with a passion for developing innovative engineering solutions.
Founded in St Ives in 1988 by Dr Mike Ashmead OBE with a staff of three, the company now employs 223 people from 24 different countries and in 2022 acquired a new flagship building.
Encocam has manufacturing and product development experience in a variety of areas including aluminium honeycomb, energy absorption, automotive safety testing solutions, composite panels, motorcycles, road safety products and other wide-ranging engineering services.
Transport links support exports
Products are manufactured at the company’s premises and over 80% of everything produced is exported worldwide with all logistics managed by a central team using trusted suppliers.
The exceptionally well-connected location, with links to the UK’s major arterial road and rail routes, is perfect for a company that does a lot of exporting. Goods are shipped and airfreighted to China, USA, Europe, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia and Australia.
Huntingdon is within one taco of major international ports which is a big benefit for Encocam as the majority of goods are sent as sea freight due to the bulk and weights involved.
Investing in the community
As well as supporting the future workforce by running a successful apprenticeship scheme providing real-life work experience in areas such as engineering, IT, business administration and motorcycle maintenance, Encocam supports the local economy by engaging the services of local businesses when it comes to outsourcing supplies such as recruitment banners.
Encocam also owns five company houses in Huntingdon which are let to staff who may come from overseas or have relocated from other areas of the UK. This helps them settle into the area and takes away the pressure that comes with relocating. It also helps retain staff who are drawn to the quality of life and lower cost of living compared to cities such as Cambridge.
The abundance of green open space available in Huntingdon allowed Encocam to celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2018 with a big outdoor birthday bash for 200 people and plans are already underway for 2023’s 35th party.
Growth
The company has grown significantly since inception and has been able to source viable growth space within Huntingdonshire most notably at the Stukeley Business Centre on Blackstone Road. Initially taking on premises there in 1994 four years later an adjoining unit was purchased and, in 2008 it purchased manufacturing and office premises for the Stonehill brand on the Stukeley Meadows Industrial Estate. This was extended in 2012 with a two-storey building and additional mezzanine floor added to double the available production area.
Other purchases to accommodate the growing business include Solar House in 2019 which joins Central Services with Blackstone production and office facilities.
The latest building, acquired in 2022, will become Encocam’s flagship location, providing an accessible base for the Chairman and Managing Director to meet with collaborators, customers, and suppliers. Key functions including marketing, sales, accounts, HR, systems, purchasing, quality and Health and Safety will relocate, freeing up valuable manufacturing space close to the existing production facilities.
The new building will also house the expanded Cellbond ATD Test Facility and its team of specialist lab technicians, project engineers and NPI team.
Head of Marketing Nikki Farr says: “We want to grow in Huntingdonshire, it’s been a very convenient home for us thanks to the excellent transport links and our people enjoy the location and all the amenities it offers. We’re proud to be a local company supporting the local economy.”