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We've come a long way...

More than 50 years of experience in the industry
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Company History

KMF Group offers first-class subcontracting services for sheet metal production and CNC machining, combining state-of-the-art equipment, highly experienced engineers and a desire to do better. Our in-house metal manufacturing capabilities are extensive as we serve hundreds of leading OEMs from more than 255,000 Sq Ft of facilities in the UK and Europe.

Our journey here was ambition, innovation and ordinary hard work!

From small beginnings, KMF began in 1971 as a metal fabricator in a small garage in Lask Edge, Staffordshire. The company was founded by founding director Michael Higgins, who is still a director and majority shareholder of the ultimate holding company(KMF Group Holdings Ltd), along side friends Ken & Fred.

Over the last 50 years, the company has grown from three men in a garage in Stoke-on-Trent to one of the largest sheet metal companies in the UK and Europe. It's all down to our talented people – the 500 workforce that makes up the KMF family, and our willingness to adapt and invest in new technologies and processes. Our success over the last 50 years has been considerable, but at KMF we believe that we will always look at the next chapter and continue to strive for ambitious growth goals.

Key milestones:

  • 1971: KMF was founded by Michael Higgins, Ken Warburton and Fred Leigh in Lask Edge in February 1971 and in August, KMF established itself as a Ltd company.
  • October 1971: KMF moved to St. Marys, Bridley Street and Fred Left. Upon his departure, Fred expressed interest from a friend named Brian, who later bought 1/3 of the shares, alongside Mick and Ken. The deal introduced Bill Duffin and Brian Colling as new directors.
  • 1975: KMF moved to a new location at Florida Close in Burslem, increasing production space from 5,000 square feet to 30,000 square feet.
  • 1977: On 24th September the company celebrated its 1000th quotation with Gough & Co
  • 1982: KMF invested in one of the first CNC machines in the country, the TCL2503E cutting machine
  • 1990: On 30th September, Ken Warburton left KMF.
  • 1994: KMF, installed in April, purchased its first laser machine, Trumpf TCL2503E, machine number 902780
  • 1995: KMF followed this investment with the first purchase of Punch Press in June, the Trumpf TC500R, machine number 40545
  • 2004: KMF moved to its current location in the High Carr Business Park, where it later installed its first powder coating line and added more than 3 extensions.
  • Autumn 2004: KMF installed its first automated bending robot, the Amada Astro-100, and celebrated their first 10-million-pound year with an annual turnover of £11.7 Million
  • 2007: KMF hired its first internal apprentice
  • 2009: The company built a fully supported EAL training centre to help deliver their award-winning in-house apprenticeships and celebrates its first 20-Million-pound year at £20.6 Million Annual Turnover
  • Early 2010: Gareth Higgins, son of Michael Higgins, has became Managing Director of KMF Precision Sheet Metal Ltd
  • 2010: KMF invested in precision sheet metal production facility in Trenčianske, Slovakia and expands their offering in Europe with KMF Precision Sheet Metal Slovakia
  • 2012: KMF achieved its first turnover of £30 million a year
  • 2013: KMF launched its STEM engagement programme 'KMF Young Engineer of the Year'
  • May 2013: KMF invested £1,000,000 in a custom-built aerospace facility called KMF Advanced Solutions. The unit is located next to KMF Precision Sheet Metal UK and manufactures components for the aerospace, medical and defence sectors.
  • July 2015: KMF Group acquired Greenway Pepper, a long-standing supplier of CNC machining to KMF Precision Sheet Metal, which now operates as KMF Precision Engineering.
  • 2016: KMF acquires bike component manufacturer BETD Components Ltd.
  • 2017: KMF Precision Sheet Metal invests in a custom stainless steel production unit with specialised welding units and glass blasting equipment.
  • 2017: KMF Managing Director Gareth Higgins receives an MBE from Her Majesty the Queen for Services to Apprenticeship
  • April 2018: KMF Precision Sheet Metal Slovakia invests in a new plant for the advanced assembly of metal products. The units provides an additional 17,000 Sq Ft of manufacturing space which expands the company's capacity for complex assembly and integration of products.
  • November 2018: KMF completes a management buyout (MBO) which sees founding director Michael and sons Gareth and Daniel Higgins, who have worked in this field together for 85 years, became the owners of the KMF Group.
  • 2019: KMF Precision Engineering welcome a new managing director, David Boughey.
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