The family-founded company has built its reputation on technical expertise, quality manufacturing and a genuine passion for engineering. Now, following a period of significant growth and some considerable challenges, the Cradley Heath business has been recognised as Manufacturing Business of the Year at the local business awards.
It's an achievement that means a great deal to a company whose work often happens behind the scenes. As part of the wider manufacturing supply chain, Central Birmingham Springs plays an important role in producing the specialist components that other businesses rely upon, even if the name itself isn't always familiar to the end customer.
For the team, the award is recognition not only of what the business produces, but of the hard work, determination and shared commitment that have helped it reach this point.
Nearly Three Decades of Manufacturing Expertise
Central Birmingham Springs, often known simply as CBS, was founded in 1997 as a family business built around a shared love of manufacturing and engineering.
Stuart Pilley has been part of the company since the very beginning, and in 2025 he became its sole owner. His longstanding involvement reflects the continuity and commitment that have remained central to the business throughout its history.
Today, CBS specialises in the design and manufacture of custom springs, flat springs and complex wire forms, supplying companies throughout the UK. Its manufacturing capabilities cover wire diameters ranging from just 0.1mm to 26mm, allowing the team to produce everything from small precision parts to substantial, high-performance components.
Every product is manufactured in-house to the customer's exact specifications, with a focus on consistent quality, reliability and performance.
It's a specialist area of manufacturing that demands attention to detail, technical knowledge and an understanding of the requirements of each individual project. For CBS, those qualities have been part of the business from the outset.
While the company has continued to develop its facilities, equipment and capabilities, its underlying enthusiasm for manufacturing has never changed.
Investing in People, Skills and New Opportunities
One of the things Central Birmingham Springs considers its greatest strengths is its people.
Alongside its established engineering experience, the business has developed a young and enthusiastic workforce that shares its commitment to producing high-quality components and delivering excellent customer service.
Rather than viewing manufacturing solely in terms of machinery and production capacity, CBS recognises the importance of having people who genuinely care about the work they do.
That approach has become particularly significant during a period of substantial growth. Over the past two years, the business has recruited more than eight people from the local community and offered apprenticeships to five young individuals, creating opportunities for the next generation to develop their skills within the industry.
The workforce has now grown to more than 15 employees, reflecting the company's investment in both its capabilities and its future.
For a business operating in the Black Country, an area with a longstanding engineering and manufacturing heritage, supporting local talent is especially meaningful.
CBS also makes a conscious effort to work with local suppliers, freight forwarders and business partners wherever possible, recognising the value of the manufacturing expertise already established in the surrounding area.
A Period of Growth and Major Investment
The past few years have marked an important chapter in the development of Central Birmingham Springs, with several significant milestones helping to expand what the company can offer its customers.
In 2021, CBS acquired Stockton Engineering, a business with more than 50 years of experience in press work. The acquisition broadened its manufacturing capabilities and strengthened its ability to provide customers with a wider range of products and engineering solutions.
Two years later, in 2023, the company relocated its factory to Cradley Heath, moving into a larger, upgraded facility measuring 14,000 square feet.
The move provided a foundation for further development, with investment in new and upgraded machinery continuing from 2024 onwards. These improvements have allowed the business to increase the range of products it can manufacture and take on new opportunities.
In 2026, CBS has achieved its record year to date, supported in part by the acquisition of work, staff and machinery from Tested Springs.
These developments represent considerable progress for the business, particularly given the circumstances surrounding its factory relocation.
What might appear from the outside to be a straightforward story of expansion was, in reality, the result of significant effort and determination from everyone involved.
Overcoming One of the Company's Biggest Challenges
Like many successful businesses, Central Birmingham Springs has faced moments when its future direction was shaped by circumstances outside its control.
One of the most difficult came when a change in its previous landlord's circumstances meant the company had to vacate its existing factory.
With less than six months to find and move into alternative premises, the business faced the considerable challenge of relocating its manufacturing operation within a very limited timeframe.
For a specialist engineering company, moving premises involves far more than simply finding a new building. Machinery, production requirements, staffing and the financial implications all have to be managed while maintaining the business itself.
The experience required major financial expenditure and an extraordinary commitment of time and effort from the team. The consequences of the relocation continued to demand sacrifices over a two-year period.
Yet looking back, CBS believes that difficult chapter ultimately helped make the company stronger.
The challenges prompted a restructuring of the organisation, encouraged closer collaboration and brought employees together around a shared determination to find solutions.
Rather than allowing the experience to undermine the business, the team worked collectively to establish a more stable foundation for the future.
For CBS, one of the proudest moments wasn't simply completing the move. It was seeing how everyone responded when the company needed them most.
Watching colleagues support one another, take on additional responsibilities and work together through uncertainty demonstrated the strength of the team behind the business.
That sense of unity remains one of the most valuable outcomes of the experience and has played an important role in the progress CBS has made since.
Building on the Black Country's Engineering Heritage
Central Birmingham Springs' location in Cradley Heath provides several important advantages, both commercially and in terms of its connections to the wider engineering community.
Situated centrally within the UK, the business is well placed to supply customers nationwide, with a location that supports efficient distribution of its manufactured products.
It also benefits from its proximity to Redditch, a recognised centre of the UK's spring manufacturing industry.
Being close to this established manufacturing hub allows CBS to collaborate with other businesses, develop longstanding relationships and source materials when required, while maintaining its own customer base and reputation.
More broadly, being part of the Black Country's engineering community is something the business values greatly.
The area has a strong manufacturing identity, and CBS is committed to contributing to its continued success through local employment, apprenticeships and partnerships with nearby businesses.
The company's recent expansion has allowed it to create meaningful opportunities for local people while continuing to develop the specialist expertise that has supported its own growth.
For CBS, its connection to the local community isn't separate from the success of the business. It's an important part of how the company operates and plans for the future.
Recognition for the Work That Often Goes Unseen
Winning Manufacturing Business of the Year has been an especially rewarding moment for Central Birmingham Springs because of the nature of the industry in which it operates.
As a manufacturer supplying other businesses, CBS forms part of a wider chain of suppliers whose contributions are essential but not always widely recognised.
The team takes considerable pride in the components it produces and the service it provides, yet much of that work happens away from the public eye.
Receiving the award has therefore provided a welcome opportunity to celebrate the expertise and dedication involved in the company's everyday operations.
For CBS, it also acknowledges how far the business has come during the past three years, following the challenges of relocation, the expansion of its workforce and significant investment in manufacturing capabilities.
The company describes the award as a new stepping stone, recognising both the progress made and the sacrifices required to achieve it.
There is also a strong sense of gratitude towards the Cradley Heath community, whose support has made the recognition particularly meaningful.
Knowing that customers and supporters have taken the time to vote for the business reinforces the trust and confidence that CBS works hard to maintain.
For the company, the award is not simply about being recognised as a successful manufacturer. It represents the belief that customers place in its expertise, the reliability of its work and the commitment of the people responsible for delivering it.
Looking Ahead to a More Sustainable Future
With a record year in 2026 and a strengthened manufacturing operation, Central Birmingham Springs is looking ahead with considerable optimism.
The company's recent investments have increased its capabilities and positioned it to explore further opportunities, but its ambitions are not limited to production and growth.
One of its next priorities is to make its manufacturing operations more environmentally sustainable.
CBS hopes to install solar panels across its 14,000-square-foot facility by the end of 2026, as part of a commitment to reducing its carbon footprint.
The proposed investment reflects the company's intention to continue developing responsibly, considering not only its manufacturing capabilities but also the environmental impact of its operations.
It's another example of a business that has demonstrated a willingness to adapt, invest and plan for the longer term.
After overcoming the difficulties of relocation and completing a period of considerable expansion, CBS is enthusiastic about the opportunities that lie ahead.
Whatever the future brings, the company intends to maintain the same commitment to manufacturing quality, engineering expertise and customer relationships that has supported its development since 1997.
A Shared Achievement for the Whole Team
While the Manufacturing Business of the Year award is an important achievement for Central Birmingham Springs, the company is keen to emphasise that its success belongs to everyone who has contributed along the way.
First and foremost, its thanks go to the employees whose hard work, ambition and determination have helped the business navigate some of its most demanding periods.
From supporting the factory relocation to embracing new equipment, processes and opportunities, the team has repeatedly demonstrated its willingness to go above and beyond.
That dedication has not gone unnoticed, and CBS considers its workforce one of the most important reasons for its continued progress.
The business also extends its gratitude to its customers for their ongoing trust, as well as the suppliers, partners and members of the local community who have supported its journey.
For a company that has spent nearly three decades manufacturing specialist components for businesses across the UK, those relationships remain essential.
And while the award provides an opportunity to reflect on everything achieved so far, the message CBS wants to share with its customers is a simple and sincere one:
“Thank you for working with us and putting your faith in us with your projects. We hope you continue trusting our business with your future enquiries.”
For Central Birmingham Springs, being named Manufacturing Business of the Year is recognition of far more than its engineering capabilities. It celebrates the resilience of a family-founded business, the determination of its workforce and the progress made through investment, collaboration and hard work. From overcoming a challenging factory relocation to reaching a record year in 2026, CBS has demonstrated what can be achieved when a committed team works towards a shared goal.
With its roots firmly established in the Black Country and ambitious plans for the future, Central Birmingham Springs is proud to be playing its part in the UK's manufacturing industry, one precision-engineered component at a time.