Birmingham firm ramps up capacity by 15% and modernises operations after the Help to Grow: Management Course

Birmingham's Instinct Hardware has accelerated its production push, lifting manufacturing capacity by 15% after a tech-led overhaul shaped by insights from the Help to Grow: Management Course.

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Founded in 1989, Instinct Hardware now employs about 50 people across digital, operations and manufacturing teams. Where previous growth came from extra headcount and factory space, the new playbook prioritises productivity and smarter processes.

The change in pace is being piloted by director Nil Chohan, who spent four years on the shop floor before stepping up to take over from his father, co-founder Ray Chohan.

To drive this change, Nil enrolled on the 12-week Help to Grow: Management Course, which is available at Small Business Charter accredited business schools across the West Midlands.

WHAT ACTUALLY CHANGED INSIDE THE FACTORY

Multiple upgrades are reshaping day-to-day manufacturing:

Digital tooling: Wider adoption of computer-aided design, rendering software and material requirements planning is tightening specifications, reducing rework and aligning inventory with real demand.

Workflow redesign: Cross-department bottlenecks are being mapped and removed, allowing faster handoffs between engineering, coating and dispatch.