Newhaven, Sussex. Gateway to Europe, Parker Pen, British Rail. But what's new? Cash Bases has transformed a carpet warehouse into one

of the best-designed and advanced factories in the UK. Cash Bases exports its products all over the world and has offices in America, Germany, France, Spain and South Africa.

Some of you may ask: Who the devil are Cash Bases? Well, the company provides sophisticated cash drawers into which the cashier stuffs your hard-earned money when you go into a supermarket. What is astonishing is that Cash Bases supplies its drawers to seven out of ten of the UK and Europe's largest retailers, including Carrefour's, Woolworth and McDonald's.

I called on Hugh Burnett, the managing director of Cash Bases. Outside, I met an old acquaintance. He told me that he had worked for the company for some 12 years. "They're not a bad lot, okay," he said. Now that's high praise.

I have an interest in manufacturing and I congratulated Hugh. His company had bucked the trend and turned a retail unit into a factory. He showed me round and I saw the staff were at ease with each other. Manufacturing at Cash Bases is computer-led. It is very fast, clean and efficient. It needs to be - for Cash Bases is the world's largest manufacturer of custom-designed cash drawers, with more than 10,000 different products.

They are small batch, high volume manufacturers.

"We are just posh metal bashers," said Hugh, deprecatingly.

Not so many years ago, Brighton and Hove had a number of major manufacturers, Alan West, Underwoods, ITT and Gross Cash Registers.

Many were sorry when Gross went into receivership. But two managers bought some of the company assets and started Cash Bases.

Brighton's loss was Newhaven's gain but there is nothing remotely similar in Cash Bases focused business and Gross' rambling empire.

Hugh Burnett joined the company in 1991 as sales manager and is now managing director.

He led a buy-out of the previous American owners. He has received an OBE for his services to Sussex industry.

The company has twice won the Queen's Award to Industry and its annual sales are now more than £13 million, with profits to match.

The company supports local industry and 60 per cent of its supplies are purchased within 20 miles of Newhaven.

Well done, Cash Bases.