A Chatteris-based engineering firm has been commended for its investment in skills at a national engineering award ceremony.

Stainless Metalcraft received the award from the Scientific, Engineering, Manufacturing and Technology Alliance (SEMTA) which acknowledges the firm’s investment made in skills. The company employs less than 250 people in advanced manufacturing and engineering.

Metalcraft’s award for ‘investment in skills’ was presented at an awards dinner in London to celebrate the ‘best in British engineering’. It attracted over 500 people from the industry, including representatives from Rolls Royce, Siemens and BAE Systems.

A spokesman said: “Almost 50 per cent of current employees at Metalcraft have trained as apprentices and over 90 per cent of these go on to take up permanent roles at the company.”

The majority of the management team started off as apprentices.

Austen Adams, managing director at Metalcraft, added: “To beat off stiff competition and win this award is testament to the team’s mettle and the company’s commitment to investing in the future of our workforce and our business.

“At a time when many SMEs face difficult investment decisions, we see the value in terms of improving efficiencies, boosting revenues and reducing staff turnover.

“It is vital to help us achieve our ambitions for growth in very competitive markets both nationally and globally.”