Case study – Trimline (no. 126)
Southampton-based Trimline remains one of the most enduring and successful companies in the UK marine outfitting business, having been established for more than 45 years.
The key to that resilience has been the flexibility to adapt to changing market circumstances and conditions. While several other marine outfitters have prospered in the short term but failed to plan for the future, Trimline has enjoyed the ability to forecast market conditions and adapt its business accordingly, originally under founder Reg Oliver and subsequently through his sons Gary (managing director) and Mike (sales and marketing director).
Having started life carrying out refurbishment work on railway carriages and small boats, Trimline moved into the world of bigger marine projects on cruise ships and ferries during the 1980s. The boom in cruising has served the company well, enabling it to establish relationships with many of the world’s leading cruise ship operators. Today, it regularly turns over in excess of £10 million annually and employs hundreds of specialist craftsmen.
moved to expand its services so that clients can procure a full, turn- key service from under one roof.
That has meant considerable investment in CAD facilities so it can offer front-end design. Expansion of the in-house soft furnishing factory has been a regular feature of the company’s growth, while the addition of a dedicated joinery factory enabled it to exercise greater control over its ability to produce high-quality furniture on time and to budget.
A case in point is the soft furnishings division which has expanded its capability into the new build cruise ship sector by winning large-scale manufacturing and fitting projects for soft
However, the progress has not been achieved without staying one move ahead. Rather than rely solely on cruise ships and ferries for its business, the company has diversified by addressing the military market and, latterly, the superyacht sector.
It has also
supplemented its throughput with land- based projects when opportunities have arisen.
The drive to differentiate itself from rivals does not end there. Rather than restrict its portfolio to outfitting, the company has
New Solent 250 list to be announced
The 2011/12 update of the Solent 250 will be announced next month – with a host of companies joining the list in its revised form.
Researchers have been updating the list with the latest financial results from Companies House and the revised grouping, ranked by turnover, will be unveiled at a special event at the Rose Bowl, Southampton, on October 20.
Sponsored by Santander, Grant Thornton, Paris Smith, Business Solent and the Solent Innovation & Growth Team, the Solent 250 is a campaign run by The Business Magazine.
Criteria for inclusion • Solent 250 companies must be private, independent businesses. • Listed companies (either LSE or foreign stockmarkets) are excluded. • Companies must be trading in the Solent region, with their main headquarters being located in the region. • Companies that list their registered office in the region, but don’t trade from that address, are excluded. • Companies that are foreign-owned are excluded.
furnishings such as curtains, bedspreads and cushions. The diversity of skills offered by craftsmen has also grown, nowadays extending from plumbers and electricians to carpet fitters and joiners.
Gary Oliver said: “The key to growing the company is a combination of maintaining high levels of service to existing customers and anticipating the future trends of the industry. Those principles have enabled the business to survive and prosper in a competitive environment.“
• The Solent region is defined as the circulation area of the Solent edition of The Business Magazine. It includes most of Hampshire (south of Basingstoke), and parts of Dorset, Wiltshire, West Sussex. Principal towns/cities are Southampton, Portsmouth, Bournemouth, Poole, Winchester, Salisbury, Romsey, Andover, Eastleigh, Fareham, and Chichester. • Companies are ranked by turnover.
• The last published accounts are used – for the 2011 listing, this will usually be 2010 or 2009 results.
Watch out for the full list in a special November issue of The Business Magazine.
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH CENTRAL – SEPTEMBER 2011
www.businessmag.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48