Italian housewares manufacturer, Tontarelli is starting-up its GBP 2m injection moulding plant in the UK as part of a programme to expand sales worldwide by 30% this year. The new, highly automated facility (Middleton, GB-Manchester M24 2RW) is based around six accumulator-backed, electric screw drive, MIR injection moulding machines designed for fast cycling and energy efficiency. Three of the machines are arranged in a fully automated cell for production of folding storage crates.

The UK subsidiary operation, which trades as TS (UK), has a 3,500 square metre distribution and manufacturing plant which replicates the production equipment and methods used in Tontarelli´s Italian plants. The product range extends to 300 items, although only around 200 are thought suitable for the UK market. All are designed and tooled within the company´s own mouldmaking plants in Italy.

Tontarelli originally supplied to the UK market via a distributor under the Thumbs-Up branding. Then, in 1997, it set up a joint venture operation, Intelligent Plastics, with a UK moulder. This turned over GBP 7m in its first year, but was subsequently closed when Tontarelli decided to go it alone.

The parent company operates 120 moulding machines at two plants in Northern Italy. A French manufacturing operation will start up later this year.