New contracts spark a record year for Black Country manufacturer - A £500k investment drive is helping an award-winning Black Country manufacturer achieve the best year in its history. A&M EDM Ltd, a specialist in wire erosion and spark eroding, is celebrating after a string of recent contracts wins has put it on course for a £1.5m turnover and seen its workforce grow by 33%. Backed by support from Manufacturing Advisory Service – West Midlands, the Smethwick-based company has defied all odds to successfully build a broad customer base in the automotive, domestic goods and jewellery sectors, with plans already in place to secure new business in the buoyant aerospace arena. Managing Director Mark Wingfield, who, along with Arthur Watts, started the business in 2002 with just £17,000, picked up the story: “2006 was a great year and saw us make some massive strides in improving our operational performance and in our ability to win new work.