Broadwater Mouldings Ltd
Following a 90% growth in international sales, Suffolk-based FRP mouldings manufacturer, Broadwater Mouldings Ltd, has been awarded The King’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade. Broadwater, a subsidiary of the Betts Group, formed in 1971 as a contract moulder operating alongside its sister company, Hatcher Components. Following increased demand, in 1977 Broadwater acquired a boat building business in the market town of Diss in Norfolk and began manufacturing green junction boxes for British Telecom and parts for the bus-building industry, alongside commercial vehicle components for Hatcher. Fast-forward 10 years to 1987 and the company acquired another factory in Garboldisham to run alongside Diss. It was at this point that Broadwater began manufacturing bodywork panels for an international leading producer of medical equipment, in addition to the commencement of materials handling equipment (Spiral Chutes) for the British Post Office. Additional capacity was urgently required in order to meet this demand. As the company’s reputation and customer base grew, in 1994 Broadwater purchased a facility in Horham, Suffolk, and operations from both Diss and Garboldisham were relocated there. During this time more medical equipment work was commissioned for radiotherapy treatment machines.
In 2009, the opportunity arose to acquire a newly built composite manufacturing plant in Beccles. All operations were swiftly moved from Horham, where new contracts were formed in the construction equipment, agricultural, motorsport and motorhome sectors – and that acquisition brought with it faster manufacturing technologies for higher volume work. In 2010, Broadwater won a large chute contract and again extra space was needed. Management made a temporary arrangement with the new owners of the former site at Horham Business Park to use the facility for approximately six months, just to complete the contract… and they never left. An innovative approach Since the privatisation of Royal Mail, Broadwater owns the trademark in the UK and Europe for ‘Safeglide’ Spiral Chutes. These have since found their way into distribution hubs for the likes of Amazon, DHL, DPD and Evri. They are also used in baggage handling systems in airports across the globe. ‘Safeglide’ Spiral Chutes form a fundamental part of Broadwater’s portfolio. The company continues to innovate in FRP manufacturing methods for various market sectors and, in 2023, purchased and commissioned a thermoforming machine. A purpose-built unit was erected on the Beccles
site to accommodate the large machine, aimed at expanding the company’s customer base even further. The new equipment allows for the use of fully recyclable materials, as well as recycled, that has broadened the range of materials on offer to existing customers and opened new doors to different markets and public transport vehicles. A team effort Broadwater currently employs over 180 people across both sites, two of which are still with the company after joining in 1978. Group Managing Director, Matthew Herbert, says: “This award recognises the achievements of the entire Broadwater team, some of whom have worked in, and have been dedicated to, developing the business over decades. We have worked extremely hard to achieve the growth we have seen; there have been many challenges along the way but we
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