Please see below article from the front page of our local newspaper, The Fenland Citizen, in February 2019.
A Wisbech-based engineering company which started in 1988 with just four employees, has grown into one of the leading bodybuilders within the Commercial Industry. With a group turnover of over £50 million a year, employing just over 400 people, it is about to move into a £3million purpose-built workshop.
SB Components recognised a need within the industry for larger and specialised fuel tanks for commercial vehicles. Today, the firm based in Enterprise Way, proudly supplies components for some of the country's biggest names including John Lewis, Asda, BT and Network Rail.
The firm, along with sister company Priden Engineering - also based in Wisbech, sits under the umbrella of the TVS Group (Total Vehicle Solutions Group) and currently employs over 160 people working a two-shift pattern, six days a week. With Priden, the workforce is over 300, putting these companies among the larger employers in Wisbech.
In the past two years, SB Components has invested over £6million in new facilities, including a 27,000ft bodies workshop as well as a press shop, which are already complete. This September, the company will move into its new state-of-the-art, purpose-built fleet workshop in Algores Way.
As well as larger fuel tanks, SB Components also offer a unique range of products for all commercial vehicles, from curtainside and tipping bodies to bespoke side skirts and catwalks for Formula One Racing teams. They also design and install essential safety products that add safety to both the drivers operations and the environment, such as in-cab warning devices and cameras. Another added bonus is products such as microwaves, fridges and TVS’s aimed at making life on the road more comfortable for drivers.
They also have a company based in Holland, called SB Europe, that supplies specialised fuel tanks and toolboxes from the Wisbech location to European countries such as France, Portugal, Denmark, Belgium and Holland.
The new premises means the company is looking for new staff, although recruitment is often an issue due to a lack of young people coming through with the required skills.
SB Components has tried to address the problem by working with local colleges and also through apprenticeships provided through its in-house training school, which offers a three-year programme of training.
Despite this, a company spokesman has said they still struggle to recruit.
'Skills like welding and metal work are hands-on, but we find a lot of young people are not interested in that type of work and are going into IT, marketing and office work,' he said. 'We need people who want to work with their hands and have skills that come with experience, which is why we offer apprenticeships and training.'
'We have started to use social media more to try to recruit people and we advertise all our jobs via our Facebook page. We also have an Instagram account - we don't advertise jobs there, but we do showcase the work we do so people can get a better understanding of SB Components.'
'Some of what we do is really amazing and I think people will be surprised to see what is being done at a Wisbech company."'
Some of the jobs SB Components are recruiting for include electricians, CAD design engineers, welders and general fitters.
In the TVS group sits their other sister company, McPhee Mixers, who are based in Blantyre, Glasgow.