Forthcoming events 2025
5 September 2025
Nuclear Energy Components team regular attend and exhibit at various leading industry events across the UK, some of the forthcoming events we will be at include:
Latest News from NEC
Derbyshire village uses watermill to power Christmas lights in the Peak District
20 December 2024
A Derbyshire village has found a novel – and greener – way to light up the streets over Christmas-time. The village watermill is being used to power the Christmas lights in Bradwell in the Derbyshire Peak District. The hydro project, first installed six years ago, was initially powered by a Heath Robinson-style collection of parts from villagers’ sheds including a pair of bicycle wheels. “This is the second incarnation of our waterwheel,” explains Andy Nash, one of three volunteers who look after the wheel in the Bradwell Brook each December. “It was initially built as an education aid for our local school children. The first one produced about 30 watts of power and we couldn’t run it for very long. “This latest wheel – designed by apprentice engineers from Nuclear Energy Components Ltd – a company based just down the road – chucks out between 70 and 80 watts and now powers our village lights from 3pm until midnight,” says Andy. Photography: Rod Kirkpatrick of RKP Photography Article: Derbyshire Times
NEC shortlisted for Make UK regional awards!
4 September 2024
NEC has been shortlisted in the SME of the Year category at the Make UK Manufacturing Awards for the North East, Yorkshire and Humber to be held on Thursday 17th October 2024 at the Rameside Hotel in Co. Durham. The award has been developed to champion businesses with less than 250 employees who have blazed a trail within the manufacturing sector. They will have led by example and developed progressive best practice for others in the industry. They will have shown exceptional initiative, boldness and dynamism, as well as exemplary management practices. NEC who became Employee Ownership Trust in 2022 have grown turnover and profitability as well as expanded the team by 21% in the last 2 years whilst establishing a succession plan with the next generation of leaders in the business. In 2023 they invested £280k in a vertical machining centre and a lathe with a new robot that will provide automatic loading and unloading of components. The company has a long track record in the nuclear sector consistently achieve 100% compliance on both quality and delivery and Fit4Nuclear, ISO9001, ISO14001 systems and procedures are integral in the business. They gained JOSCAR accreditation in February this year to enable further growth in the Aerospace and Defence sectors. Matt Keeley, Director, said “We are delighted to have been shortlisted for this regional award as recognition of our investment in advanced manufacturing technology, accreditations and skills. These will enable us to continue our growth, increase our ability to serve the Aerospace and Defence sectors and develop our future workforce with the investment in our apprenticeship scheme.”
NEC opens its doors for national manufacturing day
23 July 2024
Nuclear Energy Components (NEC) will open up to its local community as part of Make UK’s National Manufacturing Day celebrations on 26 September 2024 See first-hand the potential careers and jobs on offer with a ‘through the keyhole’ tour of the business NEC in Bradwell in the Hope Valley will open up to schools, colleges and the local community on National Manufacturing Day to showcase first-hand the amazing careers that are available in Britain’s manufacturing sector. During the day the company will put on a series of tours and interactive activities, designed to demonstrate what manufacturing is really about. The activities will be hands on and staff teams will be on hand to speak about what inspired them to take up a career in the sector and the opportunities that they have had to progress and train further. The day is open to all age groups, from school leavers to more experienced workers looking at reskilling and it will also give companies the chance to let their whole community understand more about the businesses on their doorstep. NEC has been part of the Hope Valley community, manufacturing components and assemblies for the Nuclear, Oil & Gas, Aerospace, Automotive, Rail and Power generation sectors for 85 years. The tours arranged so far include: 9.30am Bradwell Infant School 10.30am Bradwell Junior School 4.00pm Bradwell Residents Open Day Matthew Keeley, Director said: “We are delighted to be taking part in National Manufacturing Day and have the chance to showcase our manufacturing processes, capabilities and people. National Manufacturing Day gives us an opportunity to speak directly with students, teachers and our local community when they visit our manufacturing facilities. “The NEC team will great you on arrival, you will have a tour of the facility being able to see our Production areas including machining, fabrication, fitting, quality and inspection. You will be able to see our Advanced Machining Centre where we invested £280,000 in 2023 in new machining technology which enables us to provide automatic loading and unloading of components.” “There will be food and drink available in our office and canteen following the tour. There will be plenty of opportunity to talk to staff about their roles in the business and experience working for NEC, formerly Newburgh Engineering.” “We can’t wait to meet our potential new employees and talk to the people who live on our doorstep about the work we do for our customers and what we have to offer in a career that is both exciting and rewarding.” To make it easy to see what’s going on across the local area, Make UK has created a dedicated microsite www.nationalmanufacturingday.org where companies taking part will post what they produce and detail the events they are planning for National Manufacturing Day itself. Manufacturing covers a wide range of sectors including aerospace, engineering, chemical and pharmaceutical, food and drink, defence, automotive and renewable technologies. So there will definitely be something around on the day to interest everyone. Stephen Phipson, CEO of Make UK, the
Management changes secure future at NEC
25 June 2024
2024 sees a changing of the guard at Nuclear Energy Components (NEC) based at Bradwell in the Hope Valley. The company has long-term contracts supplying the nuclear industry and in 2023 the company invested £280k in a new vertical machining centre and a lathe along with a new robot that will provide automatic loading and unloading of components. Chairman, Vince Middleton will be retiring as a Director in December after 40 years with the business and Sales Director, David Greenan will be retiring at the end of September after 50 years having started as an apprentice in August 1974. Matt Keeley is taking over from David as Sales Director, Matt joined the business in September 2018 as an engineering apprentice completing his Level 3 Diploma in Advanced Manufacturing and engineering in February 2022 as he became the employee representative on the Board of Directors, which was when the business became an Employee Ownership Trust. Quality Manager, Adam Hadfield was appointed as employee representative on the Board of Directors in March this year. Adam started with NEC in August 2017 as a degree apprentice doing Mechanical Manufacturing with the University of Sheffield AMRC Training Centre based in Rotherham. Phil Longden continues as Operations Director and celebrates 40 years with the business this year, he is another member of the team that started with the business as an apprentice in July 1984. He spent a number of years in Quality Assurance before becoming General Manager in November 2018 and being appointed a Director in July 2019 following completion of an Executive MBA in Advanced Manufacturing with The University of Sheffield. As the company prepares for this next chapter, NEC is now recruiting a General Manager (preferably from a manufacturing background) to oversee the entire manufacturing operation, ensuring that the plant runs efficiently, meets production goals, and maintains its exemplary standards of quality and on time delivery. This includes managing staff, ensuring production targets are met, controlling budgets and maintaining high-quality and safety standards. The role requires strategic planning, efficient resource management, and the ability to lead and inspire the team to achieve company objectives. The company is also continuing its investment in future skills with Charlie Hillier having just completed his year 1 apprenticeship and 2 apprentices starting full-time at AMRC Training Centre from September, including Jack Ottewell, who joined the business in August 2023, aged 16.
Newburgh Legacy event
11 June 2024
If you used to work for Newburgh Engineering or Newburgh Precision, we would like to invite you to our next Newburgh legacy event on Wednesday 31st July 2024 from 4pm till 8pm at Newburgh Works in Bradwell. There will be plenty of opportunity to catch up with former colleagues, see some of the history of the business and there will be food and drink available.#NewburghFamily RSVP to Operations Director, Phil Longden on phil.longden@nec-ltd.co.uk
Working at NEC
7 May 2024
by Jacob Mosley, 16-year-old Y11 work experience student from Stocksbridge High School Matt Keeley from Hathersage, had done a variety of roles in the construction sector before joining NEC in September 2018. He chose this particular job at NEC in Bradwell – Derbyshire as he had a passion for machining and the engineering industry. He was introduced to NEC through a colleague in the Fire Service and like most of the employees at NEC, Matt started at NEC as an apprentice, completing a Level 2 & 3 Diploma in Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering with AMRC-Training Centre in Rotherham. After 6 years of experience Matt has explored a range of different occupations within NEC. His day-to-day includes machining, welding, CMM, office duties and sales. Matt is now a board director but will be shortly taking the role of Sales Director. During his time at NEC Matt has learnt extra skills in the business such as being qualified in nuclear coded welding and gaining experience of CNC programming, 9-axis milling and water jet cutting. This gives him an overview of the business as a whole increasing his span of knowledge. NEC is a small-scale business with a range of high-tech machinery that is available for the engineers use. The NEC employees are very welcoming and provide support and training on the machines if you pursue an apprenticeship or take up a job role. NEC have just added 2 new machines to the workshop that including a lathe and a robot loading milling machine. The company provides a uniform including polo shirts and sweatshirts conveying the NEC company logo. The staff who work there are very loyal to the business with some having over 40+ years’ experience, who over time move up the ranks of the company learning every aspect of what the business has to offer. This is what Matt Keeley did as he first started off as machinist but is now board director but will shortly be taking over from the Sales Director on his retirement. The working hours are on a shift pattern, a 4-day week (39 hour working week over 4 days), with 290 hours holidays inc. bank holidays. After 1 year of employment at the NEC, you become a beneficiary of the Employee Ownership Trust and get tax free bonuses depending on business performance. This is a perfect opportunity for apprentices and employees as it allows them to earn additional wages throughout their career. To join NEC in an engineering role you must be apprentice trained and have experience working both lathes and milling machines while also being capable of proving out and editing CNC programmes with also an experience of working on high precision safety critical components in nickel alloy materials. Another important factor is that you have essential personal attributes such as good communication skills, flexible and cooperative attitude combined with a strong work ethic. Also, you should have an attitude to develop and gain new skills while being capable of working using your own initiative