FourJaw: Powering productivity in Sheffield and beyond

How efficient is the manufacturing shop floor? That’s the question FourJaw founders, Chris Iveson and Robin Hartley, wanted to answer. Both research engineers at The University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), FourJaw was created through the university’s skunk-works.  

The AMRC is a network of world-leading research and innovation centres working with manufacturing companies of any size from around the globe. Skunk-works allows small companies to come in and try an idea. They work with university colleagues to prove they can make something cheaper and faster. 

FourJaw is a cost-effective and easy to install product that’s essentially a fitness tracker for machines. This plug-and-play machine monitoring provides a detailed analysis of a machine’s usability. This allows businesses to improve job costing and scheduling, reduce unplanned machine downtime, and quickly diagnose problems. Overall increasing profitability – which couldn’t have come at a better time with post-pandemic and -Brexit trading. 

Securing a six-figure investment in early 2021, it’s a testament to the company’s hunger and growth despite the current economic challenges. And if that wasn’t enough cause for celebration, Hartley was named one of 42 young entrepreneurs under the age of 42 to watch in Yorkshire earlier the same year, too. 

The team are determined to make a significant impact not just within their South Yorkshire base, but also the wider UK manufacturing community. FourJaw is a shining example of how Sheffield’s strengths – digital technology and manufacturing – can help achieve the region’s ambitious jobs-led recovery plan through the creation of good, high-value jobs.

Read this article to find out more about the Business Productivity Grant, including more case studies. To discuss an application with one of our Business Advisors, call our team on 0114 224 5000 or email BusinessSheffield@sheffield.gov.uk