Fracino, the UK’s only manufacturer of cappuccino and espresso machines, is doubling the size of its premises and taking on four new staff as part of expansion plans.
The firm has taken on an additional 24,000 sq ft of workshop and office space at its Aston headquarters – bringing the total workspace to 45,000 sq ft.
Located next door to Fracino’s current premises, the new property will house Fracino’s latest investment in sheet metal and form bending machines.
The new machinery represents a £250,000 outlay for the company.
The move will enable the company to manufacture more of its components in house.
The company said this was a significant achievement in a climate where British manufacturers are increasingly relying on suppliers from outside the UK.
Launched by current chairman Frank Maxwell in a garden shed in 1964, the business now boasts a portfolio of 60 products and sells over 2,000 coffee machines annually to customers including Patisserie Valerie, Druckers coffee shops, Pathfinder pub chains and Greene King.
Its distributor base has expanded to 700 and has extended its export reach to 15 new countries in the last 12 months.
To support the latest expansion, Fracino has taken on four new employees and is now 27-strong.
Adrian Maxwell, managing director of Fracino, said the move follows a successful period for the company – despite competing in an international marketplace.
He said: “This significant growth and investment will enable us to manufacture component parts on-site and on-demand, which will prove more time effective and remove the need to store bulky component parts.
“We have achieved unprecedented success in the last 12 months, boosting exports by 20 per cent and accelerating turnover by 15 per cent.
“We’ve also been commissioned by Costa Coffee to design and manufacture a new ‘knock-out’ drawer for their UK outlets. We will continue to build on these dynamic achievements throughout 2011, with more exciting plans in the pipeline.”
