Birmingham Magistrates' Court was told that the Birmingham Specialities employees had been asked by their manager to remove the wall, despite there being no asbestos survey or up-to-date asbestos management plan for the premises.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found there were no safeguards or proper precautions in place before the unlicensed workers removed the asbestos insulation sheets.
Birmingham Specialities, which manufactures products such as sub-assemblies, metal pressings and CNC machined components, pleaded guilty to breaching s 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act. It has been fined £20,000 and ordered to pay £2,454 costs.
HSE inspector Tariq Khan said: "Asbestos in buildings needs to be managed or removed by competent contractors. Those in control of work have a responsibility to devise safe methods of working and the provide the necessary information, instruction and training to their workers in the safe system of working.
"The company needed to follow the proper procedures by carrying out an asbestos survey and formulating an asbestos management plan as well as training those responsibilities for managing asbestos."
