Rochdale manufacturer forecasts £600k Y1 growth following innovation support
Smart support, strategic investment and real results. See how one Greater Manchester business turned innovation into growth, new jobs, and access to new markets.
- £38,000 Innovation Grant Funding towards a £100k project
- £600,000 turnover increase forecast within 12 months
- Minimum of 6 new jobs expected within 12 months
Heatsense Cables isn’t your typical cable manufacturer. From its base in Rochdale, the company produces high-performance products designed for some of the most extreme environments imaginable – aerospace, nuclear facilities, and oil and gas operations.
Its specialist cables are built to withstand harsh conditions such as high radiation, cryogenic temperatures, intense heat, and chemical exposure. Behind that performance is a unique manufacturing technique that wraps and fuses insulating layers around each cable in one continuous process.
With demand rising and new market opportunities emerging, Heatsense found itself at a crucial stage. Its existing set-up couldn’t keep pace with growing requirements, and without investment in equipment and process upgrades, key commercial opportunities could have been out of reach.
Securing innovation funding
Heatsense turned to GM Business Growth Hub for help unlocking its next phase of growth. With tailored support from our Innovation and Manufacturing specialists, the business was able to optimise its processes, assess capability gaps, and pinpoint the equipment investments needed to meet rising demand and seize new opportunities. Our Innovation Service worked closely with the company to assess commercial potential, develop a detailed growth plan, and write a strong application for funding support.
In August 2024, we helped Heatsense secure £38,500 in funding toward a £102,000 project, enabling the company to purchase and integrate two new high-spec ‘taping lines’. These advanced machines wrap insulating layers around cables with exceptional precision and efficiency, allowing for faster, more complex production. The project also included the software development, electrical design, and on-site commissioning needed to integrate the new equipment and ensure it was fully operational.
The Innovation Service played a hands-on role throughout, helping Heatsense build a robust business case and navigate the grant application smoothly. “The entire process ran seamlessly,” says Jeremy Kemsley-Pein, Director at Heatsense. “This was down to the extremely professional manner in which the GM Business Growth Hub team coordinated and worked together, taking time to understand our requirements and work through our grant application, resulting in a successful outcome. We simply would not have got there without their attention to detail and professional approach.”
Turning investment into impact
By April 2025, the new equipment was up and running – and already opening doors.
One of the first wins was the ability to step up production to cope with increased demand from a relatively new customer, Corrosion Radar. Working together, the two companies established a new partnership to develop a next-generation range of sensor cables designed for remote monitoring of pipework on petrochemical facilities around the world. These advanced cables are now being manufactured exclusively by Heatsense.
At the same time, the company is working on a range of specialist aerospace cables for Rolls-Royce. While formal supply chain approval is still ongoing, Heatsense has a clear path to winning additional business and further cementing its relationship with one of the most prestigious names in engineering. And, Jeremy notes, the Innovation service’s support has also contributed to the company’s continued growth in the nuclear fusion sector.
The business impact has been substantial. Heatsense expects turnover to increase by £600,000 within the first 12 months, with projections rising to £3 million over the next three years. The employment impact is no less significant: at least six new skilled jobs are expected to be created. Roles will include production operatives, engineers, and cable design specialists.
For Heatsense, support from GM Business Growth Hub arrived at exactly the right moment, bridging the gap between innovation and commercialisation, and providing Manufacturing and Supply Chain expertise to help unlock capabilities and market access. It’s a story of what’s possible when an ambitious business gets the backing it needs to turn potential into progress.
“The Business Growth Hub team is an outstanding group of individuals committed to supporting businesses in Greater Manchester – I cannot recommend them highly enough,” adds Jeremy.
Whether you’re a business with an innovative product or service and the ambition to scale, or a manufacturer looking to strengthen your operations and supply chain, the support is here in Greater Manchester. Contact our team today to see how we can take your ideas to the next level. Call us on 0161 359 3050 or email bghinnovation@growthco.uk
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