Yorkshire-based acrylic bath manufacturer Trojan Baths has invested £750,000 into its Traymate brand of gel coat shower trays, in a move which it says has created 26 new roles.
Trojan’s parent company, Hartford Holdings, acquired Traymate in 2021, for a sum of £2.85m, saying that the strategic acquisition allowed it to enter the minimalist shower tray market. Traymate was then relocated to Huddersfield from Essex in 2023, and absorbed into Trojan in January of this year.
Trojan Baths says that Traymate’s relocation was aimed at consolidating operations, also allowing the shower tray brand to capitalise on Trojan’s existing manufacturing infrastructure.
Following the investment, Traymate will now operate out of a new 46,000 sq ft building, located near Trojan’s existing facility. Investment in the site has also gone to new master and production moulds, as well as additional equipment such as two enclosed gel coat spray booths and an additional casting and packing machine. Trojan says that all of these investments are aimed at further improving on quality and output.
Traymate’s previous site in Purfleet, Essex, was only 7,000 sq ft, and was located on shared grounds with other businesses.
To help facilitate a smooth transition, Tojan has also made several new key appointments, one of which is assigning David Dickinson to be operations manager. Trojan says he has over 20 years of experience in engineering and operations – predominantly gained in the automotive industry – and will be “instrumental” in increasing Traymate’s production efficiency and focusing on quality standards.
Following news of his appointment, Dickinson said: “Recruiting, training and retaining motivated employees to drive the Traymate division forward has been a challenge, but we now have an excellent core team who are adding value in what is a positive atmosphere.”
David Mosley, Trojan managing director, said that the investment into the new facility signifies the beginning of a new era for Traymate. He commented: “The move to the new site has not been without its challenges but the investment into new equipment and staff mark an exciting new chapter as we set out to significantly improve our capacity on shower tray production as well as further improve our quality standards.
“As we look to celebrate our 50th year in 2025, our commitment to reinvestment, innovation and growth remains unwavering as does our passion for delivering the best of British to customers worldwide.”
As well as Trojan and Traymate, parent company Hartford Holdings also owns other brands in the bathroom sector, such as Thomas Crapper and Mantaleda. In late 2022, Thomas Crapper also completed a landmark £100,000 investment in its warehouse and facilities, similarly undertaken to increase efficiency and customer service levels.
