Bostin' Black Country Business Hall of Fame
There are so many things to celebrate about the Black Country economy, yet we are often accused of not shouting enough about what makes us special.
Resilience, warmth of service, ‘can-do’ attitude and the ability to marry traditional manufacturing craft with new technologies are just some of the qualities business leaders offer up when asked about the strengths of our region.
It comes together to create a unique economic picture. One of industrial sectors evolving with the pace of change, new markets of opportunity in life sciences, electrification and the creative scene and some tourism gems that attract inward investment and visitors on an increasing scale.
Well, the time of hiding our light under a bushel has gone and we're delighted to be shining a spotlight on the strengths of the region by championing its most innovative, resilient, creative and globally trading companies.
Over the next 12 months we will build an alumni-type community of Bostin' businesses with the promise of changing perceptions and increasing economic performance. You can find out more about the campaign here.
Location: Willenhall
Employs: 1474
About:
ASSA ABLOY are the global leaders in access solutions and everyday we help billions of people move through a safer and more open world with ease. In the UK and Ireland we provide premium, design-led door opening solutions tailored to a multitude of building demands covering the following sectors Commercial, High Security, Professional Digital and Residential.
What makes the Black Country ‘Bostin’?
"There is so much that makes the ‘Black Country ‘Bostin’ for us it’s the people and the long-standing history in manufacturing – our own heritage in the region dates back over 200 years"
Laura Johnson - Head of Communications and Employer Branding
A quirky fact:
Did you know ASSA ABLOY products are helping to keep chimpanzee’s safe at Twycross zoo?
Employs: 88
About:
“We’re here for anyone living with or impacted by sight loss – from individuals to families and carers.”
Beacon Centre for the Blind creates spaces where people feel supported, included and empowered, whether that’s through care, wellbeing activities, training, or simply connecting with others. Inclusivity runs through everything it does, because the charity believes sight loss should never be a barrier to living life to the full.
What makes the Black Country ‘Bostin’?
“For 150 years, we have been proud to stand alongside this community, growing together, supporting one another and proving that when the Black Country comes together, there’s nothing it can’t do. That spirit of grit, kindness and pride is what makes this place so unique.”
Lisa Sadler-Todd - Chief Executive Officer
Location: Bilston
Employs: 17
About:
“Bringing Black Country precision to the international metal forming industry.”
Bowers & Jones is a world leader in the design, manufacture, and refurbishment of rolling mill components.
The Kings Award-winning company uses 70 years of expertise to design and manufacture high precision roll tooling for the metal rolling industry, supplying rolls and engineering equipment to all the world’s leading steel long products and copper rolling mills.
What makes the Black Country ‘Bostin’?
“Our appetite for hard work, our resilience and, importantly, our passion for UK manufacturing.”
Jane Sommerville - Managing Director
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Location: Dudley
Employs: 35 to 50 (seasonally)
“We're a heritage attraction in the heart, and under the Black Country.”
Dudley Canal & Caverns run boat trips through its labyrinth of tunnels, caverns that sing in the wind, and basins that transport you to a world you wouldn't know exists...and it does all this about 70ft below ground, and across 428 million years of history.
What makes the Black Country ‘Bostin’?
“It's fiercely loyal, and protective of what makes each individual town of the Black Country so unique. It's our differences in such short distances that make us so special. Whether Sedgley to Gornal or Dudley to Tipton.”
Paul Crofts - Chief Executive Officer
Location: Wolverhampton
Employs: 5
About:
Run by an experienced educator, we have a passion for ensuring that all children have the opportunity to access education in a way that suits them best, regardless of their background or starting point.
What makes the Black Country ‘Bostin’?
"The people and the orange chips!"
Stacie Ryan - Founder
A quirky fact:
A 'Helix' is a powerful symbol of resilience representing adaptability, growth and continuity!
Location: Wolverhampton
Employs: 5
About:
We are a Research and Development company that uses biotechnology to come up with new materials, green energy solutions and treatments for conditions, such as Parkinson’s.
What makes the Black Country ‘Bostin’?
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"The Black Country is bostin’ because it blends together hard work, straight-talking people, and real innovation. For iBiotech, it’s a place where ideas get backed and turned into impact!"
Dr Brian Johnston - Founder
A quirky fact:
One of our earliest projects was using a brewer’s ‘waste stream’ and converting it into a ‘luxury bioleather’ material.
Location: Aldridge and Telford
Employs: 64
About:
“We have developed an employer-led approach to skills development.”
In-Comm Training is one of the UK’s leading independent training providers, supporting over 800 apprentices and delivering 2700 upskilling courses every year. Over £5m has been spent on equipping a world class technical facility in Aldrige, which also houses the UK’s first precision toolroom academy.
What makes the Black Country ‘Bostin’?
“The people. It’s a small world here, where everyone is friendly, down to earth and hard working. Importantly, we have our own accent, and our heritage and industrial values really make us special.”
Gareth Jones - Managing Director
Location: Cradley Heath
Employs: 52
About:
What makes the Black Country ‘Bostin’?
"The wonderful friendly community that provides us with a diverse, hard-working workforce. The heritage in the area is amazing too. So much history and we’re grateful to be a part of it. We were founded in the Black Country and 162 years later we’re still in the Black country a mere 0.9 mile from our original premises."
Rebecca Grainger - Sales and Marketing Director Designate
A quirky fact:
We were establishing in 1864 and still family-owned and run today by our 6th generation.
Location: West Midlands
Employs: 254
About:
We make sure employers have a skilled, competent workforce to meet the business needs of tomorrow!
As an independent Training Provider with a strong focus on apprenticeships, we work closely with employers across a range of sectors to deliver work-based training that meets both organisational and sector needs. We design and manage apprenticeship programmes that combine practical workplace learning with structured training, ensuring apprentices develop the skills, knowledge, and professional behaviours required by their employers. We also deliver Study Programmes and Traineeships to over 2000 students every year, providing progression routes for young people into employment, apprenticeships or further education.
What makes the Black Country ‘Bostin’?
"It’s the grit, graft and heart (pronounced ‘art’). The Black Country has a proper work ethic, strong community spirit and a determination to get things done."
Lesley Holland – CEO
A quirky fact:
Juniper was named after the Juniper Berry – as in the Gin!
Some of our former learners have gone on to become employees of businesses that are members of the Black Country Chamber of Commerce, and we’re proud to be part of each other’s journey, creating a true full-circle moment.
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Location: Tipton
Employs: 20
About:
“We thrive in helping companies throughout the world import and export their cargo in the most efficient way possible.”
KMB Shipping Group has more than 30 years’ experience in global logistics, working with an extensive network of agents, shipping lines and airlines to move goods around the world. It received a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2021 for its services to International Trade.
What makes the Black Country ‘Bostin’?
“The People! Simple as that! There are no friendlier folk anywhere in the UK!”
Paul Hull - Co-Owner
Location: Wolverhampton
Employs: 60
About:
We are in the business of keeping your water systems safe. With over 30 years of experience in legionella control, we are an award-winning provider of water safety services and products providing services to various sectors, including Care, Hotel and Leisure, Education, Business and Local Authorities.
What makes the Black Country ‘Bostin’?
"When yow work hard, help each other and av a loff! That’s what meks the Black Country Bostin ar-kid!"
Carl Baker - Managing Director
A quirky fact:
Did you know “Nant” means “Stream” in Welsh?
Location: Wolverhampton
Employs: 30
About:
"As a not-for-profit, when people and businesses use us to protect their health and wellbeing, they are also boosting local good causes.”
Paycare provides Health Cash Plans to 700+ corporate clients and 42,000 individuals, with customers staying with the organisation for more than 14 years on average.
In that time, it has donated more than £2.5m to charitable causes in the Black Country and West Midlands.
What makes the Black Country ‘Bostin’?
“Its diversity, its welcome, its work ethic, its creativity and the fact we’re not afraid to get our hands dirty. Like many good things, we do not shout about how amazing the Black Country is, and I want to change that.”
Anthony Burns - CEO
Location: West Bromwich
Employs: 86
About:
Robert Hopkins Environmental is a family-owned waste management specialist based in West Bromwich. We provide comprehensive services for businesses, including hazardous and non-hazardous waste management, industrial cleaning, and sustainable recycling and recovery solutions. Operating a large fleet and our own waste transfer station, we focus on compliant, 
environmentally responsible disposal while helping clients reduce their environmental impact.
What makes the Black Country ‘Bostin’?
"We are proud to be from and based in the Black Country, where things get done. Graft is in our DNA – this region was forged in foundries, factories and workshops, so hard work is just how things are. We’re straight-talking and no nonsense: if we say we’ll do it, we’ll do it. And we’re down-to-earth and loyal, building relationships on trust and looking after our own."
Gavin Hopkins - Managing Director
A quirky fact:
The company was first founded in 1920 making and selling dolly tubs and cask barrels to breweries across Black Country such as Banks’s, Bass, and Bathams.
Location: Cradley Heath
Employs: 50
About:
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RunFlat International is the leading independent 'RunFlat' systems and military wheel supplier in the defence and security sector.
Our systems allow the vehicle to continue driving safely for up to 100km following ballistic or terrain related punctures, helping save lives and ensure people can escape dangerous situations.
What makes the Black Country ‘Bostin’?
"Fantastic people and the eagerness of local businesses to collaborate and bring economic wealth to the area."
Tom Westley - Operations Director
A quirky fact:
Over 90% of what we manufacture in the Black Country is exported to 45 different countries.
Location: Wombourne
Employs: 3
About:
“Our core mission is to help companies shape incredible, inclusive brands to create meaningful impact.”
From logo design and brand identity to beautifully designed brochures and marketing collateral, the company works with local, national and international companies and brands across financial services, education, charity, manufacturing, construction, and healthcare.
What makes the Black Country ‘Bostin’?
“The region is renowned for its industry, as a place where tradition meets innovation, and where local pride fuels creativity.”
Carolyn Smith - Managing Director
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