At Birmingham-based Brigham Pressings, a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with Birmingham City University is helping the manufacturer explore new opportunities for its engineering expertise, with graduate Stacey Kong playing a central role in the programme.
Working as New Product Project Manager at H.T. Brigham Group, Stacey is leading the development of a new British watch brand, taking the project from initial concept through product innovation, brand positioning and market entry strategy. The work represents an interesting development for a business whose reputation has been built on precision metal pressings, high-volume stampings, tooling and specialist manufacturing services.
For Brigham Pressings CEO Doug Allen, the KTP programme provides an opportunity to bring academic expertise and new commercial perspectives into a manufacturing business with more than 75 years of engineering heritage.
“Stacey is working on a project that takes us into a very different market, but one where our manufacturing experience and understanding of precision engineering can make a valuable contribution,” said Allen. “The KTP has given us an opportunity to explore how our capabilities can support the development of a product and a brand from the outset. Stacey brings a fresh perspective to that process, combining consumer insight, product development and commercial thinking with the practical requirements of bringing something new to market.”
Brigham Pressings has spent decades developing its expertise in precision metal forming, progressive press tooling and high-volume manufacturing for demanding industrial applications. Its engineering capabilities include presses ranging from 60 to 400 tonnes, high-speed Bruderer progression presses and an in-house toolroom supporting product development and manufacturing efficiency.
The KTP with Birmingham City University builds on that industrial foundation, applying academic knowledge and graduate expertise to a new product development programme. For Stacey, the opportunity has involved working across disciplines that are increasingly important to the future of British manufacturing.
Her role brings together market research, product innovation, consumer behaviour and brand development, with responsibility for translating ideas into a commercially viable product proposition.
“Working at the intersection of traditional manufacturing and modern brand development is particularly interesting because it brings together two very different perspectives,” Stacey explains in her KTP Associate Showcase profile.
“The challenge is to understand what customers value, how a product can establish its position in the market and how those insights can inform the development of something commercially successful.”
Her work on the British watch brand involves considering the complete journey from product concept to market, including how design, positioning and storytelling influence consumer perceptions. Alongside her work on new product development, Stacey has been representing Brigham at professional training programmes, entrepreneurship events and industry networking opportunities.
Her participation in the national KTP training programme at Ashorne Hill has brought her into contact with associates working on innovation projects across a wide range of industries.
“The KTP has been an incredible journey,” Stacey said, reflecting on her experience. “The training sessions have been insightful and energising. I’ve met so many talented associates from different backgrounds, each with inspiring stories. Their passion motivates me to push our own project forward.”
She has also participated in regional entrepreneurship events, using these opportunities to exchange ideas with founders, researchers and other businesses developing new products and commercial propositions.
“Networking with founders and innovators shows how important it is for manufacturing to stay connected to new thinking,” she said. “Sharing Brigham’s story and learning from others helps us refine the way we innovate.”
Her involvement in the KTP Associate Showcase provides another opportunity to share the work being undertaken at Brigham, particularly the development of the British watch brand and the relationship between consumer insight, product innovation and manufacturing.
The Knowledge Transfer Partnership, which began in late summer 2024, is supported by Birmingham City University academic supervisor Dr Achilleas Boukis. The programme is intended to strengthen Brigham’s capabilities in product and business model innovation, digital marketing and structured new product development.
For Allen, its longer-term value extends into the wider manufacturing business.
“We have a strong engineering heritage and considerable experience in taking customers’ designs into production,” he said. “Through the KTP, we are developing additional skills around identifying market opportunities, understanding consumer requirements and managing innovation projects.
“Stacey’s work is a good example of the contribution talented graduates can make to an established manufacturing business. She is bringing new ideas into the company, building relationships outside our traditional markets and helping us develop a more structured approach to new product innovation.”
That approach also complements Brigham’s ongoing investment in advanced presswork technology, toolmaking, quality management and manufacturing efficiency.
The company’s capabilities in precision metal pressings, high-speed stampings, tooling design and metal assemblies remain central to its commercial activities, while projects such as the British watch brand create opportunities to explore new applications for its expertise.
For Stacey, the experience has also demonstrated the importance of connecting market research with practical product development.
“This partnership gives us the space to research, test ideas, and understand the needs of our future customers more deeply,” she said. “Whether it’s through market surveys, innovation workshops, or digital design tools, we’re building a foundation for long-term growth.”
Investing in the next generation of manufacturing talent
As the UK’s manufacturing sector continues to develop its skills base, Knowledge Transfer Partnerships offer businesses access to emerging talent and university expertise while giving graduates responsibility for commercially significant projects.
At Brigham, Stacey’s role illustrates how those opportunities can extend across engineering, marketing, product management and business development.
Allen sees that combination as increasingly relevant to the company’s future.
“Manufacturing innovation starts with people who are curious about what a business can achieve and have the ability to turn ideas into practical projects,” he said.
“Stacey has embraced the opportunity to develop something new within Brigham. Her work is helping us look at our capabilities from a different commercial perspective, and that is exactly the kind of thinking we want to encourage throughout the business.”
With its KTP programme continuing and the British watch brand progressing through development, Brigham Pressings is demonstrating how an established Midlands manufacturer can combine decades of engineering experience with graduate talent and university collaboration.
For a company approaching eight decades in manufacturing, the investment provides another route to future product development and commercial growth.