Chocolate money box led to decade of growth for plastics company
0 Comments | Hull Daily Mail, Jul 28, 2010 | by CATHERINE LEA
A CHOCOLATE teapot may not be much use so the saying goes, but a chocolate money box has been the making of Dearing Plastics Ltd.
Cadbury’s “chocolate” savings box is in reality made of injection moulded plastic – a contract which provided Dearings with the springboard to a decade of growth.
In the past two years alone the Carlton Street-based company has doubled its turnover towards Pounds 1.5 million, with its latest year showing an increase of almost 40 per cent.
And, now employing 15 people and anticipating further significant recruitment, it is continuously investing in increasing capacity and training.
It recently moved into a new 10,000sq ft facility, enabling manufacturing around the clock to ISO 9000 2001 standards.
A niche, bespoke manufacturer to clients across a huge range of sectors, it is also a nominee for the NatWestbacked Small Business Of The Year Award, part of the Mail News And Media The Business Awards.
The family firm was launched in 1986 by Eric and Barbara Dearing.
Their son Andrew took over as MD following his parents’ retirement and he attracted new investment from Andy Harris, now a director.
Dearing began to grow, and an inquiry from now defunct Humbrol Airfix led to the savings box contract, which helped fuel further expansion.
Today, clients, generally needing small, high-quality batches, range from toy and electrical manufacturers to makers of caravans and other leisure products.
Mr Harris said: “We manufacture for them, but it is what we add to the relationship which makes us so valuable to most of our customers.”
In most cases, customers own the tooling used on Dearing’s machines.
“But we have a wealth of experience in helping design that tooling, helping reduce both cost and time to production,” added Mr Harris.
“We don’t own the products, but we do treat them as our own in terms of our commitment to quality and responsibility to end users, working closely with clients from concept to delivery.”
Working with the Manufacturing Advisory Service enabled the firm to “lean think” its processes, providing additional client benefits.
And a strong entrepreneurial streak is typified by the company’s reaction to a radio bulletin announcing Humbrol Airfix’s manufacturing rights had been sold.
Within days meetings had been held with new owners Hornby plc – talks which led to further growth of the Dearing business.
Links Dearing Plastics www.dearingplastics.co.uk Mail News & Media Business Awards www.thisishull.co.uk/businessawards InShort A Hull-based firm which has grown into a major player in the Yorkshire plastics industry has been nominated for a Mail News & Media Business Award.