Southampton: Polycast in bid to boost international expansion

Warsash-based Polycast, producer of the ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’ emblem on the front of Rolls Royce cars, is set to develop its first factory in Mexico. This is in a step towards enabling the company to supply the aerospace market in the Americas.

This latest venture of the 30-year old firm follows considerable growth over the past 10 years through its 50% joint venture ownership in Unipol, which has transformed the £2 million turnover company into a £25m international company.

The 55,000 sq ft facility in the Mexican State of Baja California, which can accommodate up to 270 employees, is set to be up and running by January 2016.  It will also add to the company's two existing world-class foundries in China, and its aerospace-approved foundry in India. In total, it will have 220,000 sq ft of production space across the four sites.

Polycast has received help and support from Government export body UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) over the past seven years to meet the right contacts in India and Mexico and to help with international expansion.

The new factory is expected to generate an extra £20 million turnover for Unipol, which is now a worldwide leading company for the supply of cast turbocharger wheels to the global automotive turbocharger manufacturing industry.

Ian Haddon, MD of Polycast and chief operating officer of Unipol, said: ”The growth of the company has accelerated at a speed far greater than we had originally planned. Investing in a manufacturing footprint locally to meet the growth potential of our markets has been fundamental to our success. Ensuring we are able with each of our manufacturing sites to transfer our experiences from the different countries we operate is key. To produce a global product to world-class standards for our clients is what is driving the growth of our international customer base.

“UKTI staff, in both the UK and abroad, have consistently understood our business and our requirements. They have always been there with excellent quality information and advice. We have capitalised on their extensive relationships in China, India and Mexico. As we develop our next five-year growth plan and future geographical and market expansion we will be relying on them again."

Rosalind Marsh, UKTI international trade adviser, has worked with the company for eight years. She said: “The company has gone from strength to strength since 2007 through its pursuit of manufacturing excellence and finding staff of the highest quality. It has been a delight to support them and help them achieve this international expansion.”

The company has participated in the UKTI Passport to Export and Gateway to Global Growth programmes, and has made extensive use of UKTI overseas networks through the Overseas Market Introduction Service (OMIS) system, to meet the right contacts in China, India and Mexico.