Our History

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.

Tratos cables quickly gained a reputation for exceptionally well-made cables at the forefront of innovation with Egidio at its helm for more than 13 years until his health began to decline and, sadly, he passed away. His daughter, Marta and her husband, Albano Bragagni, subsequently took over the business in 1974 and Mr Bragagni became company president. A challenging programme of investments, product diversification and technological growth started. The business grew exponentially, thanks to Mr Bragagni’s eye for innovative new products and a practice of responding intelligently to opportunities in growing markets.

By 1978 Tratos started the production of Copper Telecommunication cables and Instrumentation cable for telephone companies and petroleum engineering companies. Two years later, Thermoplastic and Elastomeric compounds with low smoke, zero halogen materials were developed and Tratos set up a dedicated factory, Tramet, which still produces Insulation and Sheathing and Medium Voltage and Low Voltage compounds, as well as halogen-free, flame retardant, oil resistant, fire resistant, semi-conductive compounds. Later, Tratos became established in the UK in 1981, and in 1987, the company began producing fibre-optical cables in Italy. It became one of the major suppliers for the Energy, Trains, Transport and Infrastructure, Oil and Gas industries and became a specialist manufacturer of fire resistant cables and robust electric cables for mining and tunnelling equipment.

In the 1990s Tratos was producing Medium Voltage Cables at a new factory in Catania. In the early 2000s, the third generation of the family joined the company with Mr Ennio Bragagni Capaccini as Deputy Chairman. Tratos took on the production of umbilical cables for Oil and Gas and related applications, in partnership with the Brazilian company MFX. Tratos opened Cables Tailor Made, a division offering custom designed solutions. By 2008 Tratos acquired the UK’s North West Cables Ltd, a manufacturing company in Knowsley, Merseyside, and Modular Wiring Systems Ltd, its subsidiary, renowned for creative innovation in high and low-level power distribution systems. Tratos now had three UK sites.

Tratos strengthened its presence in Europe with Tratos Iberica in Spain and further branch offices in Germany and China. In 2009 the company began the production of H.V. cables and established a new factory in Pieve Santo Stefano. It went on to form an integrated group with industrial and commercial companies such as Smaltos, Braids, Tramet and Hamilton Cable. Flexibility, dynamism, constancy and reliability define Tratos’ approach and have seen it grow foreign market share. It’s now one of the largest companies in the industry globally.

It all started with one man’s vision and his determination to overcome significant early challenges to build the foundations of the business it is today. The company’s future is being forged by third-generation family members. The world-renowned, expert cable manufacturer that started with that dream fifty years ago in a small village in Tuscany is in good hands.

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 the 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

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

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

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

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.

50 years of Hisory

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.

Contact us

Please, don’t hesitate to contact us for additional information on our company or our products.

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