Newbury: Adrian Moore appointed managing director at Xtrac

Transmission technology specialist Xtrac, crowned 2014 UK Manufacturer of the Year, has continued to invest in its future by appointing Adrian Moore as managing director, while completing a £3 million purchase of new machinery. Previously technical director with more than 20-years’ experience in the industry, Moore succeeds Peter Digby, who steps into his new role as executive chairman.

Moore will take over the day-to-day running of the business, while Digby will continue to manage the main board of directors, concentrate on corporate strategy, and focus on sales and support of key international motorsport customers – which includes Formula One, IndyCar as well as numerous touring and sports car series.

“We’ve planned Adrian’s appointment for some time,” says UK Entrepreneur of the Year Digby, who is listed among the Top 100 Most Influential People in UK Manufacturing.  “This natural progression for Xtrac maintains consistency and further emphasises our highly-successful 100% employee-ownership structure.”

Moore, who is a fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, represents the motorsport industry on the Government-supported Automotive Council Technology Group, which aims to engage in the delivery of new low-carbon technologies and development of the UK automotive industry supply base, was pleased to accept his new role.

“We will continue our policy of employee ownership, our highly-successful apprentice and undergraduate programmes, extensive capital investment programmes, and investment in new technologies,” commented Moore. “Our main objective is to continue supplying our motorsport and automotive customers with industry-leading products they can depend on. I’m looking forward to this exciting challenge and would like to thank Peter, and of course the whole team at Xtrac, for their trust and continued support.”

Key technical staff, comprising chief designer Jon Marsh, engineering manager Stuart Croot, and head of advanced engineering Dominic Smith, will continue to report directly to Moore.

Xtrac’s ongoing capital investment programme has seen over £3m invested in the past 12 months.  The new machines will offer increased capacity and bolster supply chain security through the addition of two five-axis Matsuura machining centres and a second Klingelnberg bevel-grinding machine.  Xtrac has also further developed its cellular gear manufacturing capability.