OMC, a leading UK-based specialist in optoelectronics design and manufacturing, has been recognised as one of the country’s top manufacturers at the prestigious Elektra Awards, a flagship event celebrating excellence in the electronics industry.
The company was shortlisted as a finalist in the Manufacturer of the Year category, competing against some of Europe’s most prominent electronics manufacturers, including global multinationals. OMC ultimately received a Highly Commended distinction, with judges praising its innovation, long-term value creation, and strong commitment to both people and environmental sustainability.
The judging panel noted:
“Highly Commended goes to a top entry which demonstrates innovation in several areas, long-term delivery of value, and strong examples of commitment to people and the environment. Congratulations to OMC.”
About the Elektra Awards
The Elektra Awards are widely regarded as one of the most respected honours in the electronics sector, recognising outstanding achievements in innovation, leadership, and manufacturing excellence. Submissions are evaluated through a rigorous multi-stage judging process by a panel of senior industry experts.
Leadership Reflects on Milestone Achievement
Commenting on the recognition, William Heath, Commercial Director at OMC, said the award was a testament to the dedication and expertise of the company’s workforce.
“This recognition is a credit to our entire team. In 2024, OMC marked 40 years of innovation and commitment to manufacturing excellence. Continuous innovation across our products, processes, and workplace culture has been central to our success,” Heath said.
He added that OMC made a strategic decision during the COVID-19 pandemic to continue investing in advanced manufacturing rather than scaling back operations. This included automation upgrades and the recent introduction of collaborative robots (cobots) to enhance production efficiency and resilience.
Product Innovation and R&D Focus
OMC places a strong emphasis on research and development, continuously refining product designs to meet the demands of rapidly evolving markets. Among its recent innovations is the Fibre Optic Arduino Shield, a solution that allows easy integration of fibre-optic data communication into microprocessor-based systems.
The product is designed for applications such as Industry 4.0, Industrial IoT, smart infrastructure, medical devices, and motor control systems, particularly in environments where data integrity and reliability are critical.
Process Improvements Drive Efficiency
The company has also implemented a wide range of process innovations aimed at reducing costs and improving productivity. OMC upgraded its CNC manufacturing facilities with more versatile tooling and completely re-engineered its programs to optimise performance.
As a result, average parts production speed has increased by 57%, while production yields have improved by 19%, significantly reducing waste and enhancing operational efficiency.
Workplace Culture and Digital Transformation
OMC believes long-term success depends on a workplace culture that supports innovation while maintaining high standards of sustainability and collaboration. The company has introduced automated scanning and tracking systems to monitor production phases and quality inspections, enabling better coordination across teams and departments.
Sustainability and Energy Leadership
Sustainability remains a core pillar of OMC’s operations. The company manufactures as much as possible in-house, starting from raw materials such as semiconductor wafers, fibre stock, and metal bars. This approach ensures full control over quality, performance, and reliability, while reducing dependency on external supply chains.
OMC also prioritises recycled materials wherever feasible and actively reuses waste material from one process to support another. In addition, the company has installed nearly 200kWp of on-site solar generation, making it a net exporter of electricity. A three-phase battery storage system now powers CNC machines overnight using solar energy stored during the day.
Facility-wide upgrades using energy-efficient technologies have further reduced power consumption and environmental impact.
Resilience Amid Economic Pressures
During the post-pandemic period of high inflation, raw material costs across the industry rose by 50% to 100%. While many manufacturers responded with steep price increases, OMC adopted a different strategy.
Drawing on prudent long-term financial management, the company invested reserve capital into cost-reduction technologies, automation, and buffer stocks of critical materials. This allowed OMC to stabilise pricing and maintain average selling prices closer to pre-pandemic levels than the wider industry.
Global Reach and Applications
OMC’s technologies are used across a wide range of sectors where long-term performance and reliability are essential, including transportation, aerospace and defence, medical technology, power distribution, research and instrumentation, industrial electronics, and smart buildings.
With a strong export focus, OMC serves customers ranging from SMEs and global corporations to leading universities, public-sector organisations, and research institutions. Its products are used daily by millions of people worldwide, often operating behind the scenes to make everyday systems safer and more efficient.