From Coventry roots to global aerospace supply chains - ASG Arrowsmith marks another year of engineering success

Longevity in manufacturing is rarely accidental. It is built on precision engineering, continuous investment and the ability to adapt to a sector that never stands still. For ASG Arrowsmith, that story began on 9 March 1967, when the Coventry engineering company was first incorporated —laying the foundations for a business that would go on to become a recognised name in the global aerospace supply chain. Nearly six decades later, the business is celebrating another anniversary while looking firmly towards its 60th year in 2027.

Arrowsmith’s origins are rooted in Coventry’s rich manufacturing tradition. The company was founded in 1967 and purchased in 1993 by Antony and Sheila Aldridge, who helped establish the business during a period when the Midlands was emerging as a centre of precision engineering and automotive production.

Working initially from modest facilities with a small turnover of £300,000 in the manufacture of aliens and strangers in aero engine components, the family built a reputation for technical
capability and reliability — values that would later prove essential as the company moved into more advanced aerospace manufacturing.

That foundation was strengthened when Jason Aldridge, their son, joined the business in 2007, representing the second generation of leadership.

At the time, the company was still operating from the back of a unit on Bayton Road Industrial Estate in Coventry. Under Jason’s leadership, the business began a period of steady growth and investment that would transform both its facilities and its position in the aerospace market. He visited as many companies as he could over the next three years to
learn what was ‘the best and the worst’ of the companies around him to shape his vision.

“We started with a small footprint and a big ambition,” he says. “My parents and the Arrowsmith team built the business on hard work and engineering discipline, and my job was to take that foundation and grow it into something capable of competing in the world aerospace industry.”

That growth became visible in the early 2010s when Arrowsmith expanded its Coventry facility, constructing a new office building and extended manufacturing space at the front of the Bayton Road site. The development created a more modern engineering environment — including dedicated space for CAD design, quality engineering and technical support functions — alongside expanded production capacity. It also allowed the company to attract new talent and strengthen relationships with major aerospace customers.

By the mid-2010s, Arrowsmith had secured significant contracts supplying precision components used in aero-engine systems, landing gear and aircraft structures for leading global manufacturers. Recognition soon followed. The company progressed through the SC21 supply chain improvement programme, moving from Bronze to Silver award status, reflecting strong performance in quality, delivery and collaborative supply chain working. Arrowsmith presently hold the SC21 Silver award for the 11 the consecutive year.

“The aerospace sector is incredibly demanding,” Aldridge explains. “You only win work by delivering precision components on time, every time. That’s what we’ve always focused on.” As the business expanded, so too did its investment in technology. Arrowsmith introduced new CNC machining centres, automated production cells and robotics to support higher output and improved efficiency. One notable step was the installation of a robotic machining cell capable of 24-hour lights-out manufacturing, increasing capacity while maintaining the tight tolerances required for aerospace components.

Those investments enabled the company to compete globally while continuing to operate from its Coventry base. Over time, the company built relationships with some of the aerospace sector’s most recognisable names, including Rolls-Royce, ITP Aero, Incora and Meggitt, supplying complex machined components used across multiple aircraft platforms.

In 2025 Arrowsmith became part of the select group of companies in the Rolls Royce High Performing Supplier Group and Incora’s Rolls Royce Supplier of the Year. A defining milestone came in 2017, when Arrowsmith became part of the ASG Group, now ASG Aerospace. The move gave the Coventry manufacturer access to a wider network of aerospace capabilities, while preserving the entrepreneurial culture that had driven the company’s growth.

“Joining the group allowed us to accelerate what we were already doing,” Aldridge says. “We gained access to broader capabilities across the ASG Aerospace network while keeping the identity and engineering focus that made Arrowsmith successful.”

Since then, the business has continued to invest in automation, advanced machining and digital manufacturing technologies — positioning itself to support the next generation of aerospace programmes. Arrowsmith’s progress has also been recognised nationally.

The company received the King’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade in 2024 and 2025, adding to a Queen’s Award in 2020, reflecting a dramatic increase in exports and the global reach of its Coventry-manufactured components. Today, parts produced at the Bayton Road facility are shipped worldwide for use in aircraft engines, landing gear systems and structural assemblies.

The company’s customer base spans Europe, Asia and the Americas, illustrating how a Midlands SME can integrate into complex international aerospace programmes. As the business celebrates another anniversary of its founding, attention is already turning to the milestone ahead.

Next year will mark 60 years since Arrowsmith was incorporated, a moment that reflects both the company’s heritage and its continuing evolution. For Aldridge, the anniversary is less about looking back and more about preparing for the future.

“Reaching sixty years will be a proud moment, especially knowing where the business started,” he says. “But aerospace is always about the next challenge. Our focus is continuing to invest, continuing to improve and making sure ASG Arrowsmith remains competitive in a global industry.”

With aerospace production rates rising and demand for advanced manufacturing capability increasing, that mindset will remain essential.

From a family engineering company in Coventry to a key supplier within the ASG Aerospace group, Arrowsmith’s journey reflects the strength of the Midlands manufacturing ecosystem — and the enduring importance of precision engineering in the global aerospace supply chain.