We are pleased to announce the expansion of our new manufacturing facilities, which is now operational. The additional 120,000 sq ft purpose built factory is set on a 7.25 acre site on the South Coast, in close proximity to the three manufacturing facilities we currently operate from.
The new technical centre ‘Voyager Park’ will increase production space by 80%, to support future growth of the business. Collectively, our total footprint now spans 270,000 sq ft across 4 sites.
The further investment in our manufacturing capabilities includes the acquisition of 5 additional injection mould presses, ranging from 2,000t – 70t, a new assembly and finishing department to include a semi-automated paint line, spray booths and some robotics.
The new facility will accommodate a total of 15 injection mould presses, to support the increased demands of lightweight moulded components, together with in-house finishing, assembly and metrology departments.
CEO, Mike Bryant comments ‘’ We have experienced rapid and steady growth for the last five years, resulting in our current sites working at full capacity.
The growth has been positively impacted by confidence in the automotive sector and increased international demand for UK premium car brands. We are currently producing 600 injection mould tools and moulding approx. 3 million thermoplastic components per year, predominantly for the automotive industry. Our new premises will ensure we have the additional capacity to continue to provide our services and world class products to our blue-chip customer base.
Our 400+ strong, highly skilled workforce has also increased significantly over recent years, approximately 100 new job opportunities will become available at Voyager Park.’’
COMPANY PROFILE
Established in July 2001, and from our roots as an F1 supplier, Formaplex is a world class manufacturer of tooling and lightweight component solutions to a global market. Our reputation for excellence has been built on years of engineering expertise and dedication to dynamic working practices, to supply an innovative, industry-leading service.
We have proudly developed a market-leading position in the UK premium automotive, F1 and motorsport sectors, with a rapidly growing share of the UK and European high-volume automotive, defence, aerospace, marine and industrial markets. Our business has an enviable, blue chip customer base, with which we have developed long-standing, trusted relationships.
Formaplex provides integrated services, tailored to suit customer requirements, including support and advice, tooling design & manufacture, injection moulded plastic parts, composite tooling and composite parts to meet rapid delivery schedules. Parts are supplied as individual items, complete assemblies, with jigs and fixtures or finished and painted.
Formaplex strive to exceed customer expectations by continuous investment in people, equipment and the supporting infrastructure. Over recent years, we have invested £15M in operating assets. Over 400 skilled personnel are employed at our ‘state of the art’ production facilities, which boasts an extensive plant list, including 44 5 axis and 3 axis CNC milling machines and 16 injection mould presses.
Quality Management Systems are an integral part of the whole group business, encapsulating all aspects of the manufacturing process. We are certified to ISO 9001, TS 16949, AS9100C and VW FORMEL Q, which is a testament to our commitment of supplying quality assured products.
With our market share steadily rising, we have grown from strength to strength, achieving a record turnover of £45.3M for 2015.
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
We are a dynamic manufacturing group specialising in the manufacture of tooling and lightweight components for a global market.
Our policy of continuous investment and improvement ensures we maintain our position as market leaders within our industry, and stay at the forefront of thermoplastics and composites production technology.
Our key investment focus areas are plans for our future growth and investing in the latest technologies to manufacture quality assured products and to provide the best service possible to our customers. We are committed to developing quality cost-effective tooling and component solutions for the future, working alongside experts in many industries to test and evaluate design, product and performance.
Our key improvement focus areas are reviewing and supporting our infrastructure, caring for the environment, continuous investment in people by nurturing talent, training staff and developing skills, and running apprenticeship schemes to encourage the next generation of engineers.
We strive to exceed customer’s expectations. Much of the work we carry out is of a highly sensitive nature – client confidentiality is paramount. Our customers’ trust in us is crucial to all of our operations, and we endeavour to combine our manufacturing expertise with a personal service that is unrivalled.
It is our combination of the right people with the right attitudes and the right technology which underpins our solutions and ultimately the success of our customers. We are passionate about manufacturing.
