Manufacturer Bowers & Jones attends Downing Street reception to mark EU deal
20 May 2025
Published in: Member News
Manufacturing specialist Bowers & Jones has achieved another significant milestone as Managing Director Jane Sommerville joined an exclusive business reception held at 10 Downing Street.
Jane was among a select number of business representatives invited to join the garden event at Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s residence on Monday to mark the outcome of the UK-European Union Summit.
Hailed as the most significant reset of relations since the UK officially left the EU in 2020, the two sides have agreed a deal that covers fishing, trade, defence and energy.
The Prime Minister and Chancellor Rachel Reeves spoke to the audience of business leaders and political figures, including Mayor of the West Midlands Richard Parker, to mark the latest agreement on international trade.
Bowers & Jones was invited to the event after recently winning the prestigious King's Award for Enterprise in International Trade in recognition of the company’s export growth, with 80 per cent of sales now coming from international markets.
Since acquiring the business in 2020 with Finance Director Nicola Owen and Operations Director James Owen, Jane and the team have navigated pandemic challenges and a major facility relocation while more than doubling turnover and expanding their customer base to over 300 firms worldwide.
Jane said: "Being invited to Downing Street is an incredible honour that builds on our King's Award recognition. It was a pleasure to join representatives from businesses across the country to be part of such a prestigious event marking the progress on international trade.
“Having the opportunity to represent Black Country manufacturing excellence at the highest levels of government demonstrates how far we have come as a team in the last five years."
The reception highlighted businesses making exceptional contributions to the UK economy through innovation and international trade.
Based in Vulcan Road, Bilston, Bowers & Jones, established in 1955, has grown to become a world leader in roll tooling and rolling mill products, with their technology now expanding into non-steel applications including electrical conduction and heating cable.
Jane's visit to Number 10 comes just weeks after the company was announced as one of a small group of businesses to receive the King's Award in 2025. In April, Bowers & Jones was crowned Export Business of the Year at the Insider Media Made in the Midlands Awards.
The business is up for the Small Business of the Year prize at the Express & Star Business Awards 2025, organised by the leading news brand to honour the business success stories of the Black Country and Staffordshire, to be announced on Thursday June 5.
In November Bowers & Jones won the Manufacturing & Engineering category at the Black Country Chamber of Commerce Awards 2024 as well as receiving commendations in the International Trade and Business of the Year categories.
Comments
Post A Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment. Please click here to login.
Our Patrons
