Trifibre on a roll after deals with McLaren F1, Rolls-Royce and Jools Holland

A factory which custom-makes cases is expanding after winning lucrative contracts with the Ministry of Defence, Rolls-Royce and a number of rock bands. Trifibre is creating jobs and moving from premises in Britannia Way, Thurmaston, after securing the deals – worth hundreds of thousands of pounds – in the past few months.

The business, now in Gorse Hill Industrial Estate, Leicester, said it was able to cater for huge demand for its products and compete with similar factories in China after fitting a hi-tech, £300,000 machine last year.

In the past few months, it has helped the company to win a £100,000 contract to supply hundreds of protective cases for electronics in British fighter jets in the Middle East. Legendary rock star Paul Weller and Jools Holland’s band are among those who have called on the firm’s services to build cases for musical gear on their tours and it has a contract with Formula 1 team McLaren.

Trifibre is also building cases protecting Rolls-Royce and Airbus aircraft engine parts, worth a combined £100,000, and has a £60,000 deal to make boxes protecting computers for Dell, in Basingstoke.

The extra business means Trifibre’s annual turnover is expected to beat the £3million mark by next year, up by about £500,000.

Managing director Nigel Cox said the firm hopes to expand to the United States – and had even provided protection for medical research equipment on a recent Everest expedition.

He said: “This move places Trifibre in a very competitive position. It makes it one of the largest case manufacturers in Europe.”

Mukesh Champaneria, speaking for the company, which employs more than 50 people in Leicestershire and has operations in Suffolk and Madrid, said: “The move to a bigger premises shows we’re a success story in Leicestershire in spite of the economic downturn.”

“We’re expanding and looking at taking on seven or eight more people at the new premises. We’re doing really well and are able to compete with factories which are doing similar things in China. The equipment we got last year has enabled us to increase production and we hope that in two years we’ll be able to increase turnover to £4million.”

LSH, which, with Innes England, secured the lease at the 36,000 sq ft site in Boston Road, said: “Despite indications of a recession, demand for good-quality, well-located industrial space in Leicester remains strong.”