An Argyll-based manufacturing firm is targeting 20 per cent year-on-year growth in the global awards sector after investing nearly half a million pounds in new production technology.
Midton, headquartered in Lochgilphead, has installed a biomass-powered autoclave as part of a £429,000 upgrade designed to increase output and improve efficiency at its foundry. The move strengthens its position as one of Europe’s leading producers of cast acrylic products and one of only a handful of specialist acrylic foundries worldwide.
The new autoclave significantly increases the scale, speed and complexity of castings the company can undertake, allowing it to meet growing demand from the international events and awards industry.
Midton works with a high-profile client base including Royal Television Society, Universal Music Group, Irish Recorded Music Association and Gay Times. Its products are used for a range of prestige awards and commemorative pieces.
A key pillar of Midton’s growth strategy is sustainability. The company has developed “Remade”, a recycled acrylic range produced from reclaimed offcuts. The material reduces reliance on virgin plastics while maintaining optical clarity and design flexibility.
The firm says the sustainable offering has resonated strongly with environmentally conscious clients and award recipients alike.
Directors Graham Ramsay and Craig Cameron said the investment marked a turning point. “The new large autoclave is a game changer in the scale and quality of casting work we can undertake,” they said. “Sustainable manufacturing is not just a responsibility but an opportunity, and Remade allows us to offer a distinctive, circular-economy solution.”
Beyond production, Midton provides end-to-end design support, enabling bespoke colours, embedded objects and specialist casting effects. Additional services include custom packaging, repeat order consistency and hybrid digital-physical awards incorporating QR codes.
The foundry traces its roots back to 1982, originally founded as Midton Crafts in Paisley before relocating to Argyll and transitioning into acrylic casting. Over four decades, it has expanded from giftware into corporate commissions, barware for breweries and financial “tombstones” for the banking sector.
Investment in 3D design, laser cutting, UV printing and advanced finishing techniques has broadened its capabilities into timber, metals and recycled materials.
With rising global demand for premium, sustainably produced awards, Midton believes its blend of high-tech production, in-house craftsmanship and environmental innovation positions it for accelerated expansion in the international events market.