PRECISION is key for the engineers GB Components, who graft day in and day out to produce hundreds of bespoke metal products for different industries across the world.

Using raw metals such as aluminium, the engineers at the Bowerhill-based workshop produce everything from shock absorbers to nuts and bolts from a variety of businesses all over the world using high-tech machines, which owner Jerry Francis says is key to their work.

"The question is who don't we work for," he said. "We are subcontracted and we do a whole range of things for loads of different industries and we do quite a lot for Europe and have jobs in South Africa and beyond. We also work quite closely with Sherwood Archery to make things like points for arrows due to a renaissance in traditional archery in recent years.

"We run machines that can turn metal from 1mm down to a 250mm diameter on a sliding head and that is really important for the sort of components we make here. I have seen a lot of changes over the years as we used to have CAM auto machines but they have all gone now because people with that sort of expertise simply do not exist in that country any more.

"Those machines have been replaced by CNC machines which are much easier to use. I like to take people in from different backgrounds and help them train in this avenue and the CNC machines allow me to do that in in just two years, I can train someone to be proficient with them."

The tight-knit group of six or seven staff work closely together to produce hundreds of components every day and the group recently surprised their oldest member of staff Leslie Lewis, who turned 80 on May 19, with a birthday cake at work to say thank you for his service.

"Les is quite amazing," Mr Francis said. "He came here when he was 62 or 63 to finish off and he is still here. He is a hard worker who operates the semi-automatic saw and he is always the first person here in the morning to open up."

Mr Lewis added: "I came here for fourteen months when I was 63. I just love working and it is a good place to work. I have no plans to retire any time soon!"

Fact file

Name: GB Components

Address: 41 Lancaster Road, Bowerhill, Melksham, SN12 6SS

Phone number: 01225 702657

Founded: 1972