Craig is Kirkstall’s Manufacturing Director, and he’s been part of the company for years, seen the highs, the challenges, the turning points, and now he’s helping steer the business into a new era under the Kaleidex Group.
If you want to understand what’s changing inside Kirkstall Precision Engineering, and why the energy on the shop floor feels different these days, you don’t need a spreadsheet or a strategy deck. You can just talk to Craig Dowling.
Craig is Kirkstall’s Manufacturing Director, and he’s been part of the company for years, seen the highs, the challenges, the turning points, and now he’s helping steer the business into a new era under the Kaleidex Group.
“I’m pretty much responsible for everything from the office downwards,” he says with a grin. “Output, machining, the people, the processes, all of it.”
That’s a wide remit in any engineering company, but at a fast-growing med-tech and veterinary manufacturer, it’s a moving target. And right now, things are moving quickly.
A new chapter, and a new pace
One of the biggest shifts Craig has seen is the transformation that came with Kirkstall joining Kaleidex.
“Since the products came on board, the changes have been massive,” he says. “New personnel, new customers, new expectations. It’s a real paradigm shift in how we approach our processes now.”
That shift isn’t about doing more of the same, it’s about rethinking how Kirkstall grows, how it invests, and how it prepares for the next decade of med-tech manufacturing.
“Transitioning from the old owners to being part of a group means there are a lot more people involved,” he explains. “The new factories, the new companies joining us… it opens the door to new revenue, new machinery, new opportunities. We’re looking ahead and asking: where can this company go?”
The answer, he says, is: further than ever before.
People first, processes close behind
Like many leaders at Kirkstall, Craig doesn’t start with targets or numbers, he starts with people.
“The biggest change is new people,” he says. “A new management team, new structure, new skills. We’ve got Giles and Sarah on board to support me, and that’s been huge.”
Those roles aren’t just additional hands, they represent a cultural shift.
“We’ve stepped back and put more people into positions of power,” he explains. “Team leads are now driving quality. Engineers are spending more time on the floor. There’s far more visibility, far more accountability, and far more collaboration.”
That clarity has been needed, especially with the renewed focus on quality and health & safety.
“These standards have been raised by governing bodies, and we’re taking them seriously,” he says. “Quality is the priority. Customers expect it, and our people deserve to work in a place that protects them.”
Investment that changes what’s possible
Craig lights up when he talks about machinery, and there’s been plenty to talk about lately.
“We’ve got significant investment going into new equipment,” he says. “Automation is a big one. Robotics is a big one. This is the direction we’re heading now.”
The future shop floor he describes isn’t theoretical; it’s already in progress.
“These machines we’re bringing in, imagine two units side by side, with a robot arm feeding itself, running 24/7 with advanced software. That opens up more capacity, more precision, more capability for implants and other specialist work.”
And for the team?
“It’s good for our guys,” Craig says. “It gives them new challenges, new technology to master, and new ways to grow in their careers.”
Empowering the next generation
Of all the changes happening, the one Craig talks about most passionately is the development of people.
“I’ve carried a lot of these guys for years,” he says. “I’ve seen them come in as apprentices, or as young operators, and now they’re stepping into different roles. They’re being empowered in ways we couldn’t offer before.”
What used to be a small operation with everyone wearing multiple hats is becoming a structured environment where talent can carve out their own paths.
“It’s really nice to see other people develop,” Craig says. “You can say to them: ‘Where do you want to go now?’ because the opportunity is actually there.”
And for new apprentices entering the industry?
“It’s more important than ever,” he says. “There’s a skill gap out there. Big OEM companies don’t always give people exposure to programming or hands-on processes. Our guys get to understand almost every aspect of manufacture. We nurture them into the engineers we need.”
A business moving with purpose
For Craig, all of this, the automation, the recruitment, the restructuring, the investment, comes back to something simple and steady: momentum.
“We got the company as far as we could before,” he says. “Now? This opens another box of tricks. It’s exciting.”
And he’s not alone in feeling that shift.
“I’m re-energised,” Craig says. “New people, new ideas, new machines, it pushes all of us forward. We’re building something bigger here, something sustainable.”
It’s a future that blends precision engineering with long-term outlook, and experience with fresh perspectives. A future where med-tech customers expect more, and Kirkstall is ready to deliver.
