Wigan-based Smith Bullough has used innovation support to apply artificial intelligence to its heat treatment process, improving consistency, traceability and readiness for commercial growth.
In revenue and capex innovation grants
Sales increase forecast within the first 12 months
Job created
Smith Bullough’s manufacturing history can be traced all the way back to the middle of the 19th century. Today, the company offers one of the UK’s largest ranges of standard and non-standard bolts and fasteners, supplying demanding industrial sectors domestically and internationally.
With support from our Innovation Service, the Wigan-based manufacturer progressed from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 7 to TRL 9, moving its new AI project to full market readiness.
Data and AI for improved process control
You don’t stay relevant for over 150 years without being open to new ways of doing things and that mindset still shapes how the company operates. “We’ve a long-standing commitment to continuous improvement and to staying ahead of evolving industry requirements,” says Director Richard Garton. “We combine our traditional forging expertise with modern technology and this enables us to produce the high-quality products our customers depend on, as well as minimise waste.”
For end users the performance and reliability of these fasteners is critical. They are integral across structural steelwork, shipbuilding, petrochemical, civil engineering, power generation, mining, vehicles and railways, where failure could have catastrophic implications.
The ability to repeatably manufacture a consistent and reliable product – with full traceability of origin, production history and quality control throughout the manufacturing process and supply chain – is therefore central to the company’s reputation and the confidence of its customers.
To ensure strength and reliability, the fasteners are heated using induction heating. The metal starts as solid round bars (called billets), which can be made from different materials like steel or titanium and come in different shapes. Each one needs to be heated in a very specific way, at the right temperature and for the right amount of time, to get the best result. Inconsistent heating can lead to non-conforming products.
“We had started to monitor heat and power levels, logging the data to better control the process,” says Richard. “But we wanted to build on this and explore how artificial intelligence could be used to analyse additional variables. We knew AI had the potential to predict optimum heating parameters, but didn’t have the expertise within the company to pursue this further.”
Positioning the business for long-term growth
With support from GM Business Growth Hub, Smith Bullough undertook a three-month R&D project with specialist engineers to test how AI could help improve the heating process. The project was supported by £9,000 of funding, covering 75% of the company’s costs. AI was used to analyse data collected on the metal’s chemical makeup, the room temperature, and how long each part was heated, and then work out the best heating settings for each type of fastener.
Equipped with these valuable insights, the company secured a second phase of support, successfully applying for a £10,400 capital expenditure grant. This enabled Richard and the team to invest in the equipment and technology needed to generate and process its own production data, removing the need for external analysis.
The CapEx funding covered 75% of the cost of purchasing and installing heat-measuring pyrometers, mounting equipment, coil boxes and data logging tools. This new infrastructure now allows the company to measure, track and control the heat treatment process in real time, providing a robust foundation for ongoing data capture and analysis.
The introduction of AI and advanced analytics has strengthened the company’s ability to detect patterns, predict non-conforming parts and refine processing methods. By guiding optimum heat treatment across a range of sizes, profiles and shapes, fasteners can now be manufactured more consistently to specification, supported by a full record of how each part was produced.
Following installation, the new systems have been integrated with production teams, providing immediate feedback and supporting continuous improvement on the shop floor. Over the medium term, Smith Bullough will continue to build on the insights generated by the AI systems, further refining production parameters and driving ongoing improvements in product quality and reliability.
Commercial growth
In practical terms, this approach enables Smith Bullough to respond more quickly and confidently to client needs, reduce material waste and improve predictability. With AI analysing variables such as chemical composition, ambient conditions and heating times, the company can now predict optimal heating parameters for each batch, minimising non-conformities and improving overall process control.
Together, these improvements strengthen the company’s reputation for manufacturing excellence and position it for continued commercial growth, with an increase in sales of around £100,000 anticipated in the first 12 months.
“Alongside improving productivity, the project has strengthened our product offering and opened up opportunities with new customers and markets,” says Richard. “It’s also helped us bring new knowledge into the business and create a new role as demand grows. The support we received has made a real difference.”
Contact our team today on 0161 359 3050 or at bgh@growthco.uk to find out how we can help your business, whichever sector you’re in.
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