Machine Will Help us to Increase Turnover

A £300,000 machine to help a business compete with China has been installed in a local factory.

The Trifibre Group, in Leicester, manufactures custom-built cases for clients around the world.

It has recently provided protection for medical research equipment on an Everest expedition – and a travelling case for the Rugby World Cup, which is flying out to France for this year’s competition.

Managing director Nigel Cox said the rotational moulding machine from Italy is already cutting production time by two-thirds and should increase turnover by £500,000 a year.

Rotational moulding, which is used to make everything from wheelie-bins to items within cars and aeroplanes, is set to overtake the riveted construction side of the business, which currently provides Trifibre’s “bread and butter.”

Trifibre employs 50 people on its site – opposite Roundhill School – and is advertising for three new office and factory staff. By next year, turnover should be up to £3.1 million – mainly thanks to the new machine.

If the orders are there, the plan is to move production from eight to 24 hours a day within the next six months.

The company is in talks with major players such as Rolls-Royce and British Aerospace and, within 18 months, the aim is to expand to the US.

Mr Cox said: “The machine can allow us to compete with China. It’s fairly automated and can improve production times with far better quality. The traditional rotational moulding took 45 minutes for case. This does one every 15 minutes.”

The company was formed in 1981 from a partnership between Mr Cox and David Bisiker, who retired in December. In 2003, Trifibre acquired Smith Sample Cases and the sales division of GLA Rev Products, both market leaders in their respective fields.

Mr Cox said: “This places Trifbre in a very competitive position. It makes the company one of the largest case manufacturers in Europe.”