HAT recently won an Accelerate manufacturing award and has become a leader in the UK for innovative technological developments in the fabrication and forming of aluminium extrusions. The company supplies products to the transport, medical and construction industries.

HAW, which is based in Shrub Hill Worcester, makes full body structures and crash management systems for iconic companies including Aston Martin, BMW, Jaguar and Lotus and is Europes leading independent, bonded automotive structure companies. HAW will now form part of the Holden Group of companies employing 190 staff across the two sites in Worcester and Bromyard.

Jeremy Holden, executive vice chairman at HAT said: The combination of Europes leading bonded automotive structure company, HAW, with the forming expertise of HAT will create a new and dynamic partnership. We see the requirements of the weight conscious automotive sector are rapidly expanding and whilst historically the market has been driven by the needs of high performance sports cars, we now have the additional pressures of CO2 emissions reduction.