A story of passion, tradition and innovation, Tratos’ journey started during WWII when the young Egidio Capaccini had to abandon his home town in Southern Tuscany after it had been almost completely destroyed by the Nazis. With little or no work available, he packed his bags and travelled to Argentina. After taking a job as a general worker for a year he was offered a position in a factory making cables. Having swiftly risen up the ranks to become General Manager and a shareholder, it wasn’t long before he achieved his dream. After a period working as a consultant and travelling the world, he set up Tratos.
TIMELINE
1966 – Tratos is founded
After leaving his hometown at the end of the Second World War, Egidio Capaccini goes to Argentina, where he finds work in a cable factory. He learns the techniques, develops his skills and returns to Italy to found Tratos.
1974 – Albano Bragagni becomes company president
Ing. Egidio Capaccini, Tratos’ founder, passes away and Ing. Albano Bragagni becomes company president.
1978 – Copper telecommunication and instrumentation cables
Tratos starts Copper Telecommunication cables and Instrumentation cable production.
1981 – Tratos Ltd in the United Kingdom
Tratos establishes its presence in the UK with the distribution and sales company, Tratos Ltd based in Chesterfield in the East Midlands.
1983 – TRAMET is founded
The factory for thermoplastic and elastomeric compounds is born. The production of telephone and rubber cables begins.
1983 – Fire retardant and fire resistant cables
As the range of fire-resistant cables grows, the company becomes a major supplier to the energy, rail, mass transportation, motorway, oil, gas, petrochemical, mining and tunnel industries.
1987 – Fibre-optic cables
Tratos becomes market leader in the production of cables for the Telecommunications market and, in 1987, begins production of fibre-optical cables for Italian and overseas markets
1988 – Tratos Catania plant
Tratos Cavi S.p.A. acquires the Catania plant. Germano Bragagni becomes CEO of Tratos Catania.
1990 – Production of Medium Voltage Cables
After having purposely opened the new factory in Sicily in Catania, the company begins to produce and sell Medium Voltage products.
2000 – Start of production of umbilical cables
In collaboration with MFX, TRATOS starts the production of umbilical cables for Oil and Gas applications. In the same year, the third generation of the family joins the company with Ennio Bragagni Capaccini “Vice President of Tratos”.
2008 – Tratos acquires Knowsley-based North West Cables Ltd
Tratos Ltd acquires North West Cable Ltd and Modular Wiring System in Merseyside in the UK. Tratos Iberica SL is born. New strategies are implemented and offices are opened in Spain, Germany and China. In the same year, Elisabetta Bragagni Capaccini joins the company.
2009 – Tratos begins production of HV Cables
Tratos begins production of H.V. cables having established a new factory for this purpose in Pieve Santo Stefano.
2012 – Fusion for Energy contract for ITER
Acquisition of the Fusion for Energy contract through the company ICAS (ENEA-TRATOS-CRIOTEC consortium) under the direction of the “Product development manager – High Technology Division” Massimo Se
2015 – Business award recognition
The quality and the company growth were recognised in the UK by being awarded the Knowsley Business and Regeneration Awards: for the creativity, hard work, organisation and development of Tratos Ltd.
2016 – New investments for Tratos facilities
Considerable economic increases are made for the plants located in Tuscany with the aim of extending the technical, production and commercial capacity and of meeting the increased demand for superconducting cables and mobile laying.
2016 – 50 years
With the work completed at Knowsley, new, better performing machinery “both in terms of quality and production” became operational. The factory was enlarged by 400% and TRATOS Ltd is currently one of the UK’s leading cable manufacturers.
2019 – Queen’s Award for Innovation
Tratos is awarded the “Queen’s Award for Enterprise”: the UK’s highest official recognition for the company which excels at international trade, innovation, sustainable development, promoting social opportunities and high-performance products.
Major R&D projects (FRI) Minister of Economic Development
R&D project aimed at the design and development of innovative electric and optical fibre cables, with the use of multi-functional micro/nano materials and high-performance renewable materials (eco-compatible, bio-based and recyclable), in order to enable 5G and even 6G connection.
