Ringing up customers in the middle of the night is an unlikely route to success, but it has paid dividends for Black Country manufacturer Harco Engineering.

The firm was given a 12 hour deadline to produce a tool for BMW's Mini production line at Oxford.

Managing director Martyn Hughes said: "Kuka desperately needed this tool to fit to one of their robots which is used at Cowley, otherwise the production line would stop.

"Normally it takes two weeks, but this time we had to pull out all the stops. They took it unpainted and unfinished, they just needed the part really quickly.

"We got the order at 4.30pm, and they got it by 3.45am. That's when I rang one of the bosses to tell them they would get the piece."

Quick turnaround times as well as an emphasis on quality is the way forward for British manufacturers, said Mr Hughes.

He said: "It is no good getting some components from Malaysia, for example, if they break down, it is going to take weeks for the replacements to arrive.

"Local British manufacturers can have a future if they have quick turnaround times and concentrate on quality."

But modern manufacturers face an uphill task engaging the next generation of raw recruits, said Mr Hughes. He said it was becoming "almost on impossible" to attract the right calibre of new entrants into industry.

Instead many firms were now looking to older generations to fill in the gaps and pass on their knowledge and experience to the rest of the workforce.

Mr Hughes was speaking as his firm, which makes bespoke metal tools and components, collected the last Birmingham Post Business Award of the Year.

During the year it invested #500,000 in a new premises in Brierley Hill, while it has expanded its turnover to #600,000.

He dedicated the prize to his staff, which has increased from ten to 16 this year, but added it was getting harder and harder to find new recruits.

"We would not be here if it was not for our workforce,' said Mr Hughes. "Without them we are nothing.

"But finding skilled people these days is a nightmare. It took us three months to find a fully skilled person to work one of our machines.

"We made the decision to take on an apprentice. We are trying to give a little back to engineering, and they will hopefully carry it on."

But even attracting youngsters onto apprenticeships was proving difficult, said Mr Hughes, with many teenagers more interested in lower skilled jobs which may pay slightly more in the short term.

He said: "Many when they leave school and earn as much as possible straight away.

"Apprentices may start on a bit lower, but there is more potential for them to develop their career.

"So we have taken on someone who is aged 63. We are benefiting from their experience and knowledge, but we do need more youngsters involved."

* The main sponsors of the Birmingham Post Business Awards are Intercity Mobile Communications and Churchill Vintners in association with Champagne Taittinger.

British Airways and Aston Business School provide further support, along with Biz-tv, part of Aston Media at Aston University, which produces a business video of each monthly winner worth #2,500

For more information visit www.icbirmingham.co.uk/postbizawards