Engineering Legacy Lives On: Fastener Testing Services Continues Wolverhampton's Testing Tradition

In the heart of Wolverhampton's Upper Villiers Street, where the rumble of Sunbeam motorcars once echoed through factory halls, a new chapter in mechanical testing excellence is being written.

Fastener Testing Services, a UKAS accredited laboratory, now operates from Unit 53 of the IMEX Trading Estate in the very place where the legendary Sunbeam Motor Car Company revolutionised automotive engineering over a century ago.

The connection between past and present runs deeper than mere geography. The Sunbeam Motor Car Company, which operated between 1905 and 1934, had its works at Moorfields in Blakenhall, with significant operations on Upper Villiers Street. The company was renowned not just for manufacturing luxury automobiles and motorcycles, but for its rigorous approach to engineering excellence and quality testing - values that resonate strongly today with Fastener Testing Services.

Under the leadership of chief designer Louis Coatalen, who joined Sunbeam in 1909, the company reorganised production so almost all parts were built in-house instead of relying on outside suppliers with their variable quality. This commitment to quality control and in-house testing established Upper Villiers Street as a centre of mechanical engineering excellence - a tradition that continues today.

Gary Harley –  Owner and Director of Fastener Testing Services says “In an age of rapid technological change, the continuity of engineering excellence on Upper Villiers Street serves as a reminder that while the tools and techniques may evolve, the fundamental commitment to precision, quality, and rigorous testing remains as relevant today as it was when the first Sunbeam motorcar rolled out of those historic factory gates more than a century ago.

We look forward to continuing the street's century-old reputation for engineering excellence and providing testing solutions to Wolverhampton and its surrounding areas.”

Workers at Sunbeam Motor Company, Villiers Street, Wolverhampton. Image rights to Black Country History Org