Lestercast Ltd

12/10/2026

Last week, some of the Lestercast team enjoyed a works night out at Hollywood Bowl, with the trophy once again up for grabs!

After Omar’s win last time, the pressure was on to claim the title. This time, Colin Caine (Operations Director) came out on top with an impressive 136 points, beating Chris Batty (Managing Director) by just ONE point! 🏆

Wax Room's Marketa won the wooden spoon for the least points scored. There was plenty of competition on the lanes, followed by a well-earned dinner & drinks at Prezzo. 🍕

Congratulations to Colin on the win — but Omar, we’re sure you’ll be looking to reclaim that trophy next time! 😉

16/09/2026

We're delighted to welcome Peter Merritt to Lestercast Ltd as our new Business Development Executive at Expocet Ltd - Manufacturing Solutions in Europe.

This week, he's getting fully immersed in the world of investment casting, spending time throughout our facility gaining hands-on experience of the complete manufacturing process. From wax pattern production and shelling, through to metal pouring, finishing and inspection, he's learning firsthand what goes into producing high-quality precision castings.

Speaking six languages, including Mandarin, Peter will play an important role in developing new business opportunities, supporting customers across a wide range of industries, and strengthening relationships with international customers and suppliers.

At Lestercast, we believe that the best way to understand our customers' requirements, is to understand the manufacturing process itself. By spending time on the foundry floor and with our experienced teams, Peter is gaining valuable insight into the expertise, technology and quality standards that have helped make Lestercast a trusted investment casting partner for over 50 years.

Welcome to the team, Peter. We're pleased to have you on board and look forward to seeing what the future holds.

**We would also like to say thank you to all of our brilliant staff who spent time with Peter teaching him the ropes!**

15/09/2026

Today, some of the Lestercast team are taking part in specialist Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) training delivered by 3T Training Ltd.

In a busy manufacturing environment, safety is always our highest priority. LOTO procedures are a critical safeguard, ensuring machinery and stored energy sources are fully isolated before maintenance, servicing, or repair work begins.
This practical training gives our employees and contractors the knowledge and confidence to identify hazardous energy sources, correctly isolate equipment, and apply locks and tags to prevent accidental start-up.

For us, this is about far more than compliance. It's about creating a culture where everyone has the confidence to stop, verify, and challenge unsafe conditions. When working around heavy machinery, high voltages, pressurised systems, and automated equipment, there can be no assumptions when it comes to safety.

In the UK, while there isn't a standalone law named "The LOTO Act," implementing these procedures is the primary way manufacturers comply with strict statutory legislation.

By investing in regular training, Lestercast continue to strengthen our commitment to protecting our people, supporting best practice, and maintaining the highest standards across our manufacturing operations.

A big thank you to the team at 3T Training for delivering today's session.

29/07/2026

🏆⚽ Lestercast World Cup 2026 Sweepstake Winners Announced! ⚽🏆
A huge congratulations to our Inspection Department Team Leader, Kirsten Purdy, who emerged victorious in the Lestercast World Cup 2026 Sweepstake! Kirsten struck it lucky by drawing Spain, whose impressive tournament performance secured first place and the top cash prize of £55. Well done, Kirsten! 🎉

Lestercast Maintenance Engineer Chris Strong, took second place after drawing Argentina, earning a £25 prize. And in third place, Stewart Lee claimed £15 after drawing ENGLAND! 🎉

The sweepstake brought plenty of excitement, friendly competition, and football conversations across the business during the World Cup, helping to bring colleagues together and add to the tournament spirit.

Congratulations to all our winners, and thank you to everyone who took part and made the sweepstake such a success. We would like to say a big 'thank you' to our Quality Engineer Lisa Hunt, for doing such a fantastic job in organising the event.

We’re already looking forward to the next one! ⚽🙌

07/07/2026

Innovation in aluminium investment casting is driven by continuous process optimisation, and we're excited to share another milestone from our internal R&D programme at Lestercast.

Our engineering team has successfully developed and implemented a new aluminium casting technique that further minimises the risk of inclusions, enhancing overall casting quality. In addition to delivering a cleaner metal stream, the process also reduces wear on critical casting equipment, extending operational life and improving process reliability.

Complementing this development is the introduction of an additional sandbed into our casting process. Together, these innovations have enabled us to increase our mould pouring campaign capacity by 25%, delivering greater productivity without compromising quality or process control.

By investing in research, process engineering, and manufacturing, we improve efficiency, enhance product quality, and deliver more value to our customers.

If you would like to talk to us about your aluminium casting requirements, please call our engineers on +44 (0)116 276 7284.

01/07/2026

We were delighted to welcome Isla Smith to Lestercast this week. Isla was visiting from Bronze Age London, a foundry that specialises in large-scale bronze castings for both interior and exterior sculptural applications.

As one of the UK's leading investment casting foundries, we believe that advancing our industry depends not only on innovation within our own business, but also on supporting and sharing knowledge across the wider foundry community. When fellow professionals seek insight into our processes and techniques, we are always pleased to open our doors and contribute to the development of best practice within the sector.

During the visit, we provided a comprehensive tour of our facilities, showcasing every stage of our investment casting process - from pattern development and ceramic shell manufacture through to metal melting, pouring, fettling, finishing, and quality assurance. The discussions covered a range of technical topics, including process optimisation, defect reduction strategies, shell technology, alloy performance, surface finish requirements, and maintaining consistency across complex castings.

A sincere thank you to Isla for taking the time to visit. We are always happy to engage with fellow foundries, manufacturers, and industry professionals who are committed to technical excellence, continuous improvement, and the future of precision casting.

30/06/2026

👏 Congratulations to Team Pace Makers on completing the incredible challenge on Sunday in support of Alzheimer's Society. The team have managed to raise over a whopping £3000!

A huge well done to Colin Caine, Marc Healey, Russell Gray, Alan Kewley, and Karthik Shastri, who took on an extremely demanding 26-mile trek through the Peak District. The team had all managed to cross the finish line within 12 and a half hours, with only a couple of blisters and the standard aches and pains! Such an amazing achievement for all of them!

The route was no easy feat, with the team conquering over 1,100 metres of elevation across challenging terrain. To make the achievement even more impressive, they completed the challenge during one of the hottest weekends of the year, pushing themselves physically and mentally every step of the way.

Along the route, the team passed some of the Peak District’s most iconic landmarks, including Chatsworth House, Curbar Edge, Monsal Head Viaduct, and the Headstone Tunnel, before crossing the finish line in Bakewell.

Everyone at Lestercast Ltd is incredibly proud of what the team has achieved. Their determination, resilience, teamwork, and commitment to supporting Alzheimer's Society have been truly inspiring.

A sincere thank you to everyone who has already donated and supported the team throughout their fundraising journey. Your generosity is helping Alzheimer’s Society continue its vital work supporting people affected by dementia and funding much-needed research.

If you would like to support Team Pace Makers and help them make an even bigger impact, please consider making a donation using the link below:
https://www.justgiving.com/team/lcpacemakers?utm_medium=TE&utm_source=CL

Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a difference and is greatly appreciated by both the team and those who benefit from the work of the Alzheimer's Society.

30/06/2026

CONGRATULATIONS to our latest Kudos Award winner, Chris Strong - Maintenance Engineer!

Chris received several nominations across multiple categories this quarter, reflecting the significant impact he has throughout the business. While each nomination highlighted different qualities, a common theme quickly emerged – Chris is the person people know they can rely on.

The nomination that stood out most was in the “Above and Beyond” category, recognising the dedication and commitment Chris demonstrates every single day. Whether he is repairing equipment, responding to breakdowns, supporting contractors, investigating issues, or helping colleagues solve problems, Chris consistently goes the extra mile to keep the site running safely and efficiently....

To read the full post, please visit our website - https://lestercast.co.uk/lestercast-kudos-award-winner-chris-strong/

Lestercast Kudos Award Winner Chris Strong - Maintenance Engineer. Chris received several nominations across multiple categories this quarter, reflecting the significant impact he has throughout the business.

18/06/2026

Congratulations to Chris Strong, our Maintenance Engineer, who has just celebrated 5 years of service with Lestercast!

To mark this milestone, Colin Caine presented Chris with a certificate and gift vouchers in recognition of his dedication, hard work, and commitment over the past five years.

As our Maintenance Engineer, Chris plays a vital role in the day-to-day success of our business. Working largely behind the scenes, he is responsible for ensuring that our foundry equipment, machinery, and facilities operate safely, efficiently, and reliably. His expertise and proactive approach help minimise downtime, prevent costly disruptions, and keep production running smoothly.
His ability to quickly diagnose issues, implement solutions, and keep critical systems operating at full capacity makes a significant contribution to the success of the entire operation.

Thank you, Chris, for your outstanding contribution to Lestercast over the last five years. Your hard work and commitment are greatly appreciated by everyone across the business. We look forward to many more successful years working together. 👏🎉

17/06/2026

Today, Quality Engineers Karthik Shastri and Lisa Hunt, along with General Operative Kye Smith, began a two-day Coordinate Measuring Machine ( ) training course on-site in the Metrology Lab.

Karthik is attending as a refresher, having already achieved full qualification as a CMM Inspector. For both Lisa and Kye, however, this training marks their introduction to CMM operation and programming.

Developing CMM capability within the Inspection Department is an important investment in maintaining and improving our quality standards. As customer requirements become increasingly demanding and component tolerances become more critical, having a broader team of trained personnel ensures we can continue to deliver accurate, repeatable, and reliable inspection results. Expanding CMM knowledge across the department also improves flexibility, strengthens succession planning, and helps reduce reliance on a limited number of operators.

The training, delivered by Quality Control Technology Ltd, provides a comprehensive understanding of both the operation and maintenance of the CMM, ensuring the equipment continues to perform accurately and consistently. The course covers the following key areas:

✅ Basic Use and Maintenance of the CMM
✅ Introduction to CMM Software and Coordinate Measuring Machines
✅Demonstration and Explanation of the Calibration Process
✅Method and Feature Selection
✅Basic Component Alignments
✅Demonstration and Explanation of Construction Options
✅Basic Report Creation
✅Geometric Tolerancing Options
✅Advanced Alignments and Rotation
✅Manual Programming
✅CNC Programming

By the end of the course, participants will have gained valuable skills that will enhance the department's inspection capabilities, improve measurement accuracy, and support our ongoing commitment to delivering the highest levels of product quality to our customers.