Tratos Ltd was proud to welcome Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg to its plant in Knowsley, Merseyside last month. The Deputy PM’s visit on the 10th April follows on from the awarding of a Regional Growth Fund (RGF) grant to Tratos, to see how the fund is helping to rebalance the economy.
Tratos was one of 18 companies to be awarded an RGF grant in the North West in Round 4 of bidders. The grant of nearly £3 million was awarded to Tratos to invest in and strengthen its manufacturing site in Knowsley and protect and potentially create further jobs in the area – on of the most deprived local authorities in the UK. The grant, which is the largest awarded in Merseyside from this scheme, will help ensure the long term survival of Tratos – one of the last remaining cable manufacturers in the country.
The Deputy Prime Minister’s visit involved a tour of the Knowsley manufacturing plant where he spent time meeting and speaking to a variety of Tratos staff. He asked a number of questions about the production process, Tratos’ business as a whole and the company’s plans for the future in the UK.
Eng. Albano Bragagni, President of Tratos Group, who came specifically for the occasion from Tratos Headquarters in Italy, was impressed by the commitment shown by Mr Clegg and the British Government to sustaining the English industrial sector through funds such as this. He was also struck by the personal interest shown by the Government on this follow up visit to the RGF grant, taking the time to gain a full picture of the regional economic situation and the Tratos business.
Dr Maurizio Bragagni, CEO of Tratos Ltd, explains the company’s commitment to investing in European manufacturing and why this grant is so important to its strategy: “As a company with €150 million turnover, we continually invest in new equipment and staff to meet our high quality manufacturing, ethical and environmental goals. Only modern factory facilities with sophisticated, fast machinery and staff proficient in their use will allow us to compete in this market place.
“Before we bought the UK cable manufacturer that was to become Tratos Ltd, it had been sorely neglected, with virtually no investment for nearly 30 years. We have injected considerable resources into this business and are passionate about manufacturing in the UK and Europe. Being awarded this substantial sum of money from the RGF provides us with the means to modernise further and expand our operations, helping to secure Tratos’ future here.”
Focussing on the RGF, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: “Today we are investing more than £300 million to create thousands of jobs through the Regional Growth Fund. This is a vital fund that has already helped over 400 projects and 3,500 small and medium sized enterprises.
“This money will help unlock nearly £2 billion of additional private sector investment that will create sustainable and long-term jobs. We’re seeing very encouraging signs that the British economy is on the road to recovery. Home-grown and British-based businesses are leading that charge for a stronger economy. The Regional Growth Fund gives businesses a helping hand from government to fuel business expansion and create sustainable employment.”
A UK manufacturer of exceptionally high quality electric and fibre optic cables, Tratos regularly supplies products for a wide variety of applications within the nuclear, oil and gas, defence, fusion and energy sectors, along with specialist cables for a number of niche markets. Cables are manufactured in modern, sophisticated production facilities with fully trained personnel and technical backup.
