Barnsley hose manufacturer hopes US market move more than doubles turnover

A Barnsley-based manufacturer, which currently exports across Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, is preparing to break into the US and South American market.

Managers at Xtraflex Ltd, a manufacturer of flexible hosing, hopes that the move to new markets will more than double turnover from £1.8m to £4m.

Xtraflex Ltd cuts and assembles hoses to suit a range of applications including the pharmaceutical, marine, automotive, oil and food process industries.

The new contracts will see the company, which already exports 1,000 specialised safety hoses a month for the American fire brigade, export 1.8 million metres of brake hosing to the US and Mexico to be used in everything from motorbikes to armoured vehicles.

Enterprising Barnsley, a European-funded programme delivered by Barnsley Council, is backing Xtraflex Ltd’s stateside move.

After relocating to new premises at Fallbank Industrial Estate in Dodworth in 2012, the company has spent £50k on new equipment and has two automatic cutting machines on order.

Furthermore, in this time Xtraflex Ltd has also doubled its staff from four to eight.

Simon Cooper, the company’s managing director, said: “We love a challenge and there is always something innovative going on, so I’m delighted with the way the business is expanding.

“We are often able to use a single product to resolve problems in industries from Sheffield to Saudi Arabia.”

Xtraflex was set up by its parent manufacturing company, Xtraflex NV, in Belgium.

Simon added: “We are committed to staying in Barnsley. It offers us fantastic transport and communication links and supports our aspirations as an export company.

“Enterprising Barnsley has been incredibly helpful. They have helped us become better organised and we are introducing a lean manufacturing process, which is reducing waste and transforming us into a much more efficient company.

“Our new paperless office systems are saving us £500 a month on paper and ink alone.”

The Enterprising Barnsley programme is part financed by the Yorkshire and Humber European Regional Development Fund Programme 2007 to 2013.

Enterprising Barnsley offers a wide range of free business support to small and medium-sized businesses with growth potential. The programme is financially backed by the European Union and has attracted £3,015,276 investment from the European Regional Development Fund as part of Europe’s support for the region’s economic development, through the Yorkshire and Humber ERDF Programme.

Andy Arnold, of Enterprising Barnsley, said: “We are delighted that Xtraflex is doing so well.

“We’ve spent a lot of time helping them to reorganise their systems and the physical layout of the building which is improving the flow of work through the factory and making them more efficient and cost effective.”

Looking to promote your product/service to SME businesses in your region? Find out how Bdaily can help →