At William Hughes, we provide a variety of secondary processes and finishes designed to boost performance, durability, and aesthetics of springs and wire components. We pride ourselves on being specialists in surface treatments throughout the UK and Europe, where all surface finishing processes are delivered within a quality-controlled environment and underpinned by ISO 9001 and IATF 16949 certifications. Each treatment is carefully matched to the end-user application, mechanical load profile and customer specification, meeting the highest standards of durability, performance, and regulatory compliance.
Our advanced capabilities include the use of the latest technology including Fanuc robots and our fully automated electrophoretic paint production line. We can also offer KTL Black, plastic coating, threading, pointing, nibbing, clip application, Delta®-Tone finishing, Delta®-Seal, steel and glass shot peening, injection overmoulding and various welding techniques. We understand these processes are integral to meeting industry standards and by completing all component finishes within our own manufacturing facilities ensures this is not compromised. In offering these services in-house we ensure consistency, reduced lead times, and strict quality alignment across every component we deliver. Our capabilities are designed to meet the high standards of the aerospace, medical, and advanced industrial sectors.
Customising Wire Form Surfaces
Our in-house specialists work closely with design engineers and procurement leads to select, apply, and verify the most appropriate finishing processes. These include advanced and multi-layer anti-corrosion techniques. Each process is engineered to heighten the mechanical, chemical, or thermal characteristics of wire forms and springs used in high-spec applications.
The solutions that our secondary processes offer include:
Our Range of Finishes and Secondary Processes
William Hughes offers a range of secondary processes and finishes, each tailored to specific application needs:
Leaders in Robotics for Welding Wire Forms
At William Hughes, our approach to welding is grounded in precision, repeatability, and continuous innovation. Welding wire forms, particularly for safety-critical or load-bearing applications, requires not only technical capability but also a deep understanding of metallurgical behaviours, joint fatigue, and manufacturing integration. Our UK and Bulgaria facilities house dedicated welding development areas with multiple Fanuc robots and high-resolution scanning equipment, enabling rapid, repeatable welds with tolerances to within fractions of a millimetre. Our processes are continually refined in collaboration with OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers to meet emerging design and compliance challenges.
Our automation programme includes rigorous testing of weld fatigue life, heat-affected zone analysis, and automation integration to improve consistency and throughput. With in-house expertise in MIG, MAG, TIG, and resistance welding, we’re able to deliver robust joints with precise control over penetration depth, distortion, and surface finish quality—essential when welding fine-gauge or formed wire structures.
This facility now serves as both a production centre and an innovation platform, allowing us to trial welds on new wire geometries, test different filler materials, and fine-tune parameters for customer-specific solutions. Our work in this space reinforces our commitment to excellence in wire form manufacture and to delivering future-ready, engineered assemblies for the most demanding sectors.
Robotic Welding Case Study for Automotive Seat Frames
In response to increasing demand from the automotive sector for precision-welded seat components, William Hughes recently invested £1.4 million into state-of-the-art robotic welding technology at our UK headquarters. This investment was driven by a requirement to manufacture welded seat frames for a leading automotive brand. The application demanded not only geometric consistency across thousands of units but also resistance to high cyclic loading in real-world use. By automating the weld path with the use of multiple Fanuc robots and incorporating real-time joint scanning, we reduced rework rates by 40% and improved production cycle times, all while maintaining full traceability and adherence to IATF 16949 standards.
Advanced Finishing and Secondary Process Facilities
Our Plovdiv, Bulgaria factory features advanced electrophoretic painting lines, Delta®-Tone and Delta®-Seal application systems, and comprehensive welding stations. The Electrophoretic Paint Line (E-coat/KTL) is a fully automated facility engineered for the high-volume, high-precision coating of complex wire forms and metal components. This system delivers uniform, corrosion-resistant finishes even in recessed or intricate geometries, making it ideal for components used in demanding environments such as automotive underbodies and medical housings.
Each secondary process is conducted under tightly controlled environmental conditions to ensure consistent results and minimal contamination. We are also committed to sustainable manufacturing practices, employing closed-loop filtration, water recycling systems, and low-VOC coatings wherever possible. These measures not only reduce our environmental footprint but also ensure compliance with REACH, RoHS, and automotive OEM sustainability standards – reinforcing William Hughes’ position as a trusted partner for manufacturers.
Quality and Inspection Techniques
Our commitment to quality is underscored by certifications such as ISO 9001 and IATF 16949, reflecting our dedication to continuous improvement and customer satisfaction.
Our quality assurance protocols include:
- Visual and Microscopic Inspections: trained inspectors assess components for uniformity, coverage, and the absence of defects such as blisters, pinholes, or discolouration.
- Coating Thickness Measurements: Using non-destructive methods like magnetic induction, we measure coating thickness to ensure compliance with specified tolerances.
- Salt Spray Testing: Salt spray (fog) testing, in accordance with ASTM B117, assesses the protective quality of finishes against corrosive environments.
- Adhesion Tests: Confirming coating durability.