Wrightform: Strengthening Suffolk manufacturing

Wrightform team members standing with laser cutting machine

As a family-run metal fabrication subcontractor based in Eye, Wrightform have been part of Suffolk’s manufacturing landscape for more than two decades. What started in 2002 with a single 4kW CO₂ laser and a press brake has grown into one of the region’s most capable precision fabrication specialists, supplying more than 200 clients across the UK.

Their focus has stayed consistent throughout: high-quality engineering, reliable service and long-term relationships with customers who depend on accuracy and speed. Today, Wrightform produces more than 20,000 different products and a million different components every month, working across a diverse array of industries.

The success comes from continually investing in the technology that keeps them ahead, and commitment to innovation has been at the heart of their latest step forward. In 2025, Wrightform installed a new fibre laser – a major upgrade from the company’s legacy CO₂ lasers. The system offers faster cutting speeds, tighter tolerances, lower energy use and far greater capacity, allowing the business to take on more complex work and deliver shorter lead times for customers.

This investment was part-funded through the Suffolk Economy Grant, which supports micro, small and medium-sized businesses to adopt digital technologies, improve productivity and transition to cleaner, more efficient equipment.

As part of the grant process, Wrightform also received input from the Suffolk Economy North Star programme. North Star provides intensive support for high growth businesses, including help navigating the grant application process.

General Manager John Ensinger explains:

“The benefit of the Suffolk Economy Grant wasn’t just the money, it was the one-to-one support from the North Star team and the process of going through the application. Answering the questions really channels your focus and creates something very potent. From that success, we’ve been able to acquire a second new machine unrelated to the original grant application.”

This is just one piece of Wrightform’s wider investment and development, which has also involved expanding their premises by 6,500 square feet and upgrading several other pieces of equipment – such as robotic press brake technology, a rumbling machine and one of the largest commercially available metal-flattening machines in the UK.

A new nitrogen generation plant now supports both Wrightform’s lasers while cutting energy use, and an updated fleet of covered vehicles ensures reliable daily delivery across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire.

Their advice to other local businesses is simple: stay anchored to your core beliefs, invest where it truly improves quality and efficiency, and build the relationships that support long-term growth.

Wrightform’s story is a clear example of how Suffolk’s manufacturing sector continues to evolve – combining experience, new technology and targeted support to stay competitive in a fast-changing industry.

Find out more about Suffolk Economy Grants and the different business support that’s available.