Case Studies

MJ Sections Limited

John Harding has come a long way since he and late business partner Malcolm Jordan began Netherton-based MJ Sections.

Back in 1979, they were starting from scratch, with just £4,000 behind them: today, John is chairman and Malcolm's son Paul managing director of a leader in the precision cold forming and fabrication of a range of metals, supplying prestigious aerospace clients including Airbus, BAE Systems and Rolls Royce.

John says three key ingredients are crucial in business: "Hard work, determination and luck – and unless you get all three together, you won’t succeed." Expert accountancy advice also has a crucial role to play and that's where ER Grove's Steve Lomas comes in. It's a sign of the strength of their working relationship that John says: "He can ring me at any time – and I don't give my mobile number to people."

After 12 years in the RAF, John rejoined civvy street in 1974 and took up the offer of a post as works manager with a Wolverhampton company which produced rolled sections for the aerospace industry. Five years on, he and Malcolm were both seeking a new challenge and the opportunity to buy a rolling mill led to the launch of MJ Sections.

After their first accountant died, John and Malcolm switched to a leading Birmingham practice but decided to move on when they felt the firm wasn't really interested in firms of their size. John admits he can't quite remember the process by which they came to ER Grove but more than a decade on, the relationship is thriving.

As well as providing support with services including quarterly management accounts and audit, John knows he can rely on a swift response from Steve on financial and business issues. For example, when MJ Sections had the chance to buy a Coventry company to which they had been sub-contracting a particular process, within an hour of a call to Steve, he was in Coventry meeting the owner and his accountant.

Steve brought the accounts up to date to establish its current position in just two days – something the seller's accountant said would take weeks – and a sale agreement was drawn up within a week.

John says: "Steve is very professional, very reliable and he doesn't let anything go, which is the kind of accountant you want. He plays a proactive role in key decisions and we have the kind of honest relationship where there's no offence if we don't take his advice. I value him from both a business perspective and as a friend."