Ramfoam Ltd

Mayor of West Midlands Cuts the Ribbon at Ramfoam's Brand New HQ

Ramfoam Ltd — 06/08/2021

One of the first companies to sign up to a programme to improve the digital capabilities of smaller businesses has officially opened its new company headquarters and factory in Sandwell.

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and chair of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) cut the ribbon at Ramfoam’s new site on Hainge Road, Tividale which will see the business increase in size by 50%.

Ramfoam, which makes foam products for the military and other organisations, was one of the first businesses to sign up to the West Midlands Made Smarter programme which is aimed at increasing the number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) adopting digital technology in manufacturing.

Last year Ramfoam adapted its manufacturing practices to produce two million face visors a week at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Made Smarter, which was officially launched in June, is headed up by the WMCA and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands said: “The West Midlands is a shining light for UK innovation, and that has become even more apparent throughout the pandemic.

“That’s why, in partnership with BEIS, we set up the Made Smarter programme to help SMEs really make the most of our region’s digital capabilities.

“It is therefore brilliant to see companies like Ramfoam not only taking part in the programme, but also the transformative effective it has had with their new expansion. The more companies that prosper like Ramfoam, the more jobs we’ll be able to create for local people.”

So far 85 companies have asked to join Made Smarter West Midlands and 58 have started the first stages of the programme. The year-long £1.9 million programme will see digital experts provide advice to businesses – like Ramfoam – on how to switch to advanced and automated technologies as well as working to improve employees’ overall digital skills.

Tim Mulqueen, Ramfoam’s sales director, said: “The Made Smarter programme is greatly assisting SMEs with their invaluable experience. Ramfoam is now actively working with Made Smarter to apply digital technologies to our business that will enable us to manufacture smarter and improve our efficiency, and in turn generate growth.

“I believe all West Midlands SME businesses could greatly benefit from support through Made Smarter; we all as SMEs need to challenge the way we do things in order to continuously improve and innovate.”

Ramfoam was helped by WMG at the University of Warwick to scale up production from 100,000 to two million face visors a week for the Government at the height of the pandemic.

By creating a digital twin (a virtual model) Ramfoam was able to make 54 million visors over the last year. ”

The Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) Growth Hub is leading the one-year Made Smarter scheme with the region’s other Growth Hubs in Greater Birmingham and Solihull, the Black Country, Worcestershire, The Marches, and Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire on behalf of the WMCA and BEIS. The Growth Hubs are working with the WMCA and their strategic partners WMG, at the University of Warwick, and the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) in Coventry.

(Source: The Business Desk)

MIG supports member with face visor contract securing over 1000 jobs to protect lives.

Ramfoam Ltd — 16/09/2020

Tividale-based manufacturer Ramfoam has successfully secured a contract with the Department of Health and Social Care to produce face visors for the NHS, with help from the Made in the Midlands Group. The manufacturer is now producing three million visors per week which have created and safeguarded in excess of 1000 jobs at their facility and throughout the supply chain.

Operating since 1995, Ramfoam‘ s expertise lies in the manufacture, conversion and supply of foam, with clients in the UK and beyond. At the beginning of the pandemic, Ramfoam was inundated with requests from other manufacturers for foam strips for the production of traditional face visors.

However, after researching their usage with frontline healthcare workers, Ramfoam decided that it made sense to create a superior product that could be produced easily in high volume using the least number of components. As a result, the firm came up with a unique, premium lightweight, reusable and comfortable seal-fit headband to which a film visor could be easily attached. Most importantly, unlike other face visors, the closed-cell foam used in the Ramfoam Care+ face visor is highly bacterially resistant and hypoallergenic. Furthermore, it can be easily cleaned, is reusable and recyclable, whilst the innovative design also has harness points for face masks – for those requiring utmost protection.

Starting the project back in April, Ramfoam was successfully able to get the product EN166 and CE marked within weeks.

Tim Mulqueen, Director of Ramfoam said:

“Our primary motivator throughout this whole project has been to protect the NHS and help save lives, and we’re proud to have been able to create a large number of new roles in the West Midlands as part of that goal. “For our staff, nothing is more motivating than knowing they are helping to support frontline healthcare workers and their families every day.”

Charles Addison, Deputy CEO of The Made in the Midlands Group, supported Ramfoam with their contacts providing information and assistance.

Tim added:

“We are really grateful to The Made in the Midlands Group for their assistance on this project and the help is given. And we highly recommend all Midlands businesses join the group to make Great British manufacturing great again! The Made in the Midlands Group have adapted their offerings to be virtual in order to keep on providing useful networking events and keep Midlands business in touch.

Tim concluded that it was also the firm’s dedicated passion and drive that made the project happen. He also mentioned that the project proves that the UK is capable of high volume manufacturing and encourages other manufacturers to onshore their manufacturing processes in the UK.

Ramfoam creates over 500 jobs in 2020 and plans to continue recruiting

Ramfoam Ltd — 23/02/2021

Ramfoam, one of the UK’s leading manufacturer, converter and supplier of closed-cell polyethene and open-cell polyurethane foam, managed to create over 500 jobs within their business last year after securing a deal with the NHS to produce face visors. The company also has plans to recruit more staff in 2021 including a Marketing Executive.

Back in April 2020 Ramfoam, with help from Made in the Midlands, found the opportunity to innovate by producing much-needed face visors for NHS frontline workers. Ramfoam decided that it made sense to create a superior product that could be produced easily in high volume using the least number of components.

As a result, the firm came up with a unique, premium lightweight, reusable and comfortable seal-fit headband to which a film visor could be easily attached. Most importantly, unlike other face visors, the closed-cell foam used in the Ramfoam Care+ face visor is highly bacterially resistant and hypoallergenic. Tim Mulqueen, Group Sales Director at Ramfoam, said:

“As a direct result of the NHS contract, we’ve been able to create over 500 new jobs and safeguard in excess of 1000, either directly with Ramfoam or throughout our wider supply chain.”

Ramfoam benefited greatly from already having a highly multi-skilled workforce that had recently taken part in a reskilling process before the Covid-19 hit, which meant that it held a comprehensive skills matrix in-house.

“When we recruited for the extra jobs created by the NHS contract, as well as the usual qualities of diligence, adaptability and attention to detail, we sought out staff who would have the same level of commitment and dedication as we do,” Tim continues.

In 2021, Ramfoam has plans to continue recruiting enthusiastic employees including a graduate Marketing Executive to implement digital marketing strategies and help the business get up to speed with the world of online advertising.

Made Futures was created to encourage people to get jobs in manufacturing, in support of those who have lost their jobs over the course of the 2020 pandemic. There's still time to sign up and be part of the exhibition by filling in the form here.