Sheffield-based Birley Manufacturing Limited has won a contract worth over £1m with Wabtec Rail, a railway rolling stock refurbishment company.

The order is for 36 universally accessible toilet (UAT) modules. These are modules designed specifically for rolling stock applications, to facilitate people with reduced mobility.

This journey started three years ago when Birley obtained a government grant in order to engineer the product.

Birley owns the Intellectual Property Rights of the product, which has already received numerous awards for its design and innovation, offering outstanding reliability and performance.

The first module will be delivered in November 2017, with the majority set to be delivered throughout 2018.

Industry recognition

Birley Manufacturing Limited’s UAT module has also been recognised by industry. It received a Highly Commended rating in the manufacturers’ organisation, EEF, Future Manufacturing Awards.

In addition, the company, founded in 1875, has been named best SME at the Made in Sheffield awards. This rewards innovation, enterprise and commitment to manufacturing within the Sheffield city region.

Steve English, MD of Birley, said: "Having listened to the industry experts, and taken on board their wants and needs, we believe we have designed an industry leading UAT Module that sets us apart from the competitors. We are delighted that Wabtec have chosen our module and the Birley team are focused on delivering for them. In terms of our awards, everyone at Birley should be rightly proud that all their hard work and dedication has been recognised with industry awards for a great product."

About Birley Manufacturing

Birley Manufacturing has more than 140 years of manufacturing experience and has been a specialist in rail, education, supermarkets and banking sectors for over a quarter of a century. With an annual turnover in excess of £15m, the company is one of the UK’s largest providers of rail undercarriage protective skirt and egress internal sliding doors.

The company’s range of rail interior products includes luggage stacks / racks, panels, galleys and sleeper berths, cab back walls and equipment cupboards, as well as on-platform ticket offices.