The right engineer changes everything.

Billy Associates is a specialist recruitment partner for the UK's engineering and manufacturing sector. We connect exceptional technical talent with the companies that build things, from the shop floor to senior leadership.

Find talent Make your next move
Specialists onlyEngineering and manufacturing. Nothing else.
Permanent & contractOne partner for both sides of your workforce.
UK-wideWith deep roots in the country's manufacturing heartlands.
Our position

We don't recruit for every industry. We recruit for yours.

Specialisation is the whole point. Because we work exclusively in engineering and manufacturing, we know the difference between a setter and an operator, why the right maintenance engineer is worth their weight in uptime, and which candidates are genuinely worth your interview time.

Where we work

Two sectors. Every role that matters.

Sector 01

Engineering

The engineers who design, maintain and improve, across every discipline and every level of seniority.

Maintenance · Mechanical · Electrical · Design · Quality · Manufacturing Engineering · Controls · Projects
Explore engineering recruitment Sector 02

Manufacturing

The skilled hands and sharp minds that turn raw material into finished product, shift after shift.

CNC Machining · Toolmaking · Welding & Fabrication · Sheet Metal · Assembly · Production · Operations · Supply Chain
Explore manufacturing recruitment
How we work

A process with nothing to hide

01

Brief

A proper conversation about the role, the environment and the person who will succeed in it, covering machines, materials and shift patterns.

02

Search

Active search across a network built exclusively in this sector. The best candidates are rarely on job boards. We know where they are.

03

Shortlist

Every candidate interviewed, skills-verified and briefed on your business before you ever see a CV. Quality over volume, always.

04

Aftercare

Offer management, notice-period contact and check-ins through probation. We measure success at month six, not day one.

Our commitments

What we will always do, and what we won't

Every CV, pre-interviewed

Nothing reaches you that we haven't personally screened, skills-checked and briefed on your role. No exceptions.

Straight answers

If a salary is under market, we'll say so. If we can't fill a role, we'll tell you early, not after three weeks of silence.

Confidentiality as standard

Candidates' CVs go nowhere without consent. Clients' vacancies stay discreet when they need to be.

Start here

Hiring or moving? Begin with a conversation.

For employers

Tell us about the role that's been open too long. You'll get an honest read on the market and a clear plan to fill it.

Work with us

For candidates

Your skills are in demand. We'll make sure the right employers know it, confidentially and on your terms.

Register with us
Home / About

Recruitment by people who understand engineering.

Founded on a simple frustration

Too many agencies treat engineering roles like any other vacancy, matching keywords without understanding what a setter does differently from an operator, or why the right maintenance engineer transforms a site's uptime.

Billy Associates works exclusively in engineering and manufacturing. That focus means a deeper network, sharper screening, and advice that clients and candidates can genuinely rely on.

Honesty firstIf we can't fill it, we'll tell you. If the salary's below market, we'll tell you that too.
Quality over volumeThree great CVs beat thirty average ones. Every time.
In it long-termWe measure success at the end of probation, not on placement day.
Straightforward to deal withQuick replies, no jargon, no games.

Work with a specialist.

Whether you're hiring or looking, it starts with a conversation.

Get in touch
Home / Sectors / Engineering

Engineering recruitment.

Design, maintenance, electrical, mechanical, quality and controls. Permanent and contract, UK-wide.

Brief us on a roleRegister as a candidate

The engineers who keep everything running

Good engineers are almost never on job boards. They're employed, busy, and only move for the right opportunity. Our network means we know who's open to a conversation before a vacancy ever goes public.

Every candidate is pre-interviewed and verified against your specific requirements: systems, controls, qualifications, shift patterns and all.

Maintenance EngineersMulti-skilled, electrical and mechanical bias, shift and days-based.
Design EngineersSolidWorks, Inventor and AutoCAD, from concept through to manufacture.
Electrical & ControlsPLC, automation, panel design, commissioning.
Mechanical EngineersDevelopment, test, and production support.
Quality EngineersQMS, CMM, NDT, supplier quality and compliance.
Engineering LeadershipProject engineers through to engineering directors.
Industries

The industries we recruit in

AutomotiveAerospaceDefenceOil & GasRenewables & Clean EnergyFMCGFood & Drink ManufacturingMedical DevicesConstruction & Building ServicesPrecision & Subcontract EngineeringRail

Hiring an engineer?

Tell us the spec and we'll tell you honestly what the market looks like.

Speak to us
Home / Sectors / Manufacturing

Manufacturing recruitment.

Skilled trades, production and operations leadership for UK manufacturers, from precision subcontractors to high-volume plants.

Brief us on a roleRegister as a candidate

The talent that turns material into product

Skilled machinists and toolmakers are retiring faster than they're being trained. Filling these roles takes a real network, not a job advert. That is exactly what we have built.

From a single CNC setter to a full shift ramp-up, candidates are verified against your machine list, materials and tolerances before you ever meet them.

CNC MachiningMachinists, setters, operators and programmers, milling and turning.
ToolmakingPress tools, mould tools, jigs and fixtures. Manual and CNC toolroom.
Welding & FabricationTIG, MIG, coded welders, fabricators and sheet metal workers.
Assembly & ProductionAssembly technicians and production operatives.
Production LeadershipTeam leaders, supervisors, production and plant managers.
Operations & Supply ChainOperations managers, planners, supply chain professionals.
Industries

The industries we recruit in

AutomotiveAerospaceDefenceOil & GasRenewables & Clean EnergyFMCGFood & Drink ManufacturingMedical DevicesConstruction & Building ServicesPrecision & Subcontract EngineeringRail

Struggling to find skilled trades?

You're not alone, but the right network changes the odds.

Request staff
Home / Employers

Hire people measured to spec.

An open vacancy costs output every single day. We deliver tight shortlists of qualified, available, genuinely interested candidates, not a flood of CVs.

Request staffBook a consultation
Services

Four ways we can help

01

Permanent recruitment

Contingency search where you only pay on a successful placement, protected by a rebate period. Full market search, salary benchmarking included.

02

Contract recruitment

Skilled contractors for projects, cover and demand peaks. IR35 guidance and compliant payroll, with temp-to-perm options.

03

Executive search

Retained, discreet search for senior engineering and operations leadership, where the best candidates need approaching rather than advertising.

04

Talent mapping

Market intelligence before you commit: who's out there, what they earn, and what it takes to attract them.

Common questions

Asked by most employers we meet

How quickly can you produce a shortlist?
For most roles, within 48 hours of a full brief. Niche or senior positions can take longer, and we'll always give you an honest timeline upfront rather than overpromise.
What does it cost?
Permanent recruitment is contingency-based: a percentage of first-year salary, payable only on placement, with a rebate period. Contract roles are charged as a margin on the hourly rate. Exact terms depend on volume and exclusivity; book a call for a straight answer.
Do you cover our region?
We recruit UK-wide, with particularly strong networks across the country's manufacturing heartlands.
What if the placement doesn't work out?
Every permanent placement comes with a rebate period. More importantly, our pre-screening and aftercare are designed to make sure it rarely comes to that.
Can you handle multiple roles or a site ramp-up?
Yes. Talent mapping plus a structured campaign is exactly what that situation needs. We'll build a plan around your timeline and budget.

Speak to a consultant.

A 15-minute call is enough to give you a market read on any role.

Book a call
Home / Candidates

Your next move, handled with care.

Your skills are in demand. We make sure the right employers know it, confidentially and on your terms. No CV-blasting, ever.

More than a job board

Most of the roles we fill are never advertised. Registering with us puts you on the inside track, and everything we do for candidates is completely free.

Honest career adviceYour real market value, realistic next steps, and whether a move is actually right for you.
CV & interview preparationWhat engineering hiring managers actually look for, before every stage.
Confidential, alwaysYour CV goes nowhere without your explicit consent. Your current employer will never hear from us.
Feedback, win or loseConstructive feedback after every stage. You'll never be left wondering.

Register with us

Your CV is received securely and never shared with an employer without your consent.

Home / Contact

Start the conversation.

Whether you're hiring or looking, a conversation costs nothing. We aim to reply within 72 hours.

EmailInfo@billyassociates.co.uk
Phone020 3911 3567
LinkedInBilly Associates Ltd
HoursMonday – Friday, 8:30 – 18:30

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Home / Privacy policy

Privacy policy.

Billy Associates Ltd ("we", "us") is committed to protecting the privacy of everyone who uses this website, registers with us as a candidate, or works with us as a client. This policy explains what personal data we collect, why, and your rights over it.

Last updated: July 2026

Who we are

Billy Associates Ltd is a specialist engineering and manufacturing recruitment agency registered in England & Wales. For any privacy matter, contact us at info@billyassociates.co.uk. We are the data controller for the personal data described in this policy.

What we collect and why

Website enquiries. When you use our contact form we collect your name, email address, enquiry type and message so that we can respond to you. Our lawful basis is legitimate interests (responding to enquiries you have chosen to send us).

Candidate registrations. When you register with us or submit a CV, we collect the information it contains, such as your name, contact details, work history, qualifications and salary expectations, so that we can represent you for suitable roles. Our lawful basis is legitimate interests and, where required, your consent. We will never send your details to an employer without your explicit agreement for that specific role.

Client contacts. If you are a client or prospective client, we hold business contact details in order to provide recruitment services. Our lawful basis is legitimate interests and the performance of a contract.

Where your data is stored

Candidate and client data is stored in our recruitment CRM (Bullhorn) and our business email system. Messages sent through our website contact form are delivered to us via our form processing provider (Web3Forms), which transmits your message and does not retain it as a stored database record. Where we use a form provider that handles CV file uploads, files are held securely by that provider until we transfer them to our CRM.

Who we share it with

Candidate details are shared with prospective employers only with your consent, and only for roles you have agreed to be represented for. We do not sell personal data. We may share data where required by law.

How long we keep it

We retain candidate data for up to 2 years from our last meaningful contact with you (such as an application, placement or conversation). After that we will delete your data or contact you to ask whether you would like to remain registered. You can ask us to delete your data at any time.

Your rights

Under UK GDPR you have the right to access the personal data we hold about you, to have it corrected, to have it deleted, to restrict or object to our processing of it, and to data portability. To exercise any of these rights, email info@billyassociates.co.uk and we will respond within one month.

Questions or concerns

If you have any questions or concerns about how we collect, use, store or share your personal data, please contact us first at info@billyassociates.co.uk so we can look into the matter and put it right. We will review your concern, investigate where necessary, and respond as soon as reasonably possible.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office, the UK regulator for data protection matters, at ico.org.uk.

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