Fracino crowed UK’s Number 1 Manufacturer and UK’s Outstanding Exporter
Birmingham coffee machine manufacturer Fracino, which is marking its 50th anniversary this year, has clinched the UK’s Winner of Winners Award and Outstanding Export Award from the UK manufacturers association EEF.
The accolades acknowledges the trailblazing success of the UK’s only espresso and cappuccino machine manufacturer which sells coffee machines to the Italians and engraves a British flag on every machine which leaves the factory,
Launched in a garden shed by founder Frank Maxwell in October 1963, the third generation family business – which employs 40 people on the Wyrley Road Trading Estate just off the M6 in Birmingham – scooped the EEF’s Midlands Outstanding Export title to clinch a place in the national line-up.
The Winner of Winners Award is the highest honor the EEF can bestow on a British manufacturer. It reflects how, in four years, Fracino has built a global export business with exports representing 25% of turnover in 2012 and on course to account for 33% of turnover this year.
From a virtual standing start in 2008 when Ireland was the company’s only exporting partner, the manufacturer now exports to over 50 countries. Fracino has expanded its export horizons to countries including Australia, Russia, Peru, Spain, Finland and Romania.
The business has been praised at the highest level by Prime Minister David Cameron who, in a speech on exporting and growth in November 2011, said: “It’s not just the film industry where Britain is excelling – Fracino in Birmingham is selling coffee machines to Italy.”
The third generation family business comprises founder Frank Maxwell, MD Adrian Maxwell, a former Rolls-Royce engineer who runs the company. Adrian’s wife Marion is the credit controller and their daughters Rebecca and Katrina are service coordinator and purchase ledger respectively.
Managing director Adrian Maxwell said: “We could not have wished for a more exciting start to our formative 50th anniversary year, than marking this double celebration. These prestigious and high profile awards reinforce our commitment to world class manufacturing, on-going investment and innovation – and are a testimony to the tremendous hard work and dedication of our fantastic team.”
In 2012 the manufacturer invested over £1 million in new machinery and expanded to purpose-built headquarters next to the company’s existing premises. Staff expansion saw four new roles being recruited across July-December 2012.
Fracino sells over 3,000 products annually to a customer base spanning John Lewis, Costa Coffee, Patisserie Valerie, Druckers coffee shops, Pathfinder pub chains and Greene King.
About Fracino
• Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, the family owned and run business is home to three generations of the Maxwell family. Founder Frank is the company’s chairman; his son Adrian was the firm’s technical director for two decades and is now Fracino’s MD. Adrian’s wife Marion is the credit controller and his daughter Rebecca joined the business in June 2009.
• Award-winning Fracino was formed in 1963, when Birmingham engineer Frank Maxwell began making coffee machines in his garden shed.
• Fracino is the UK’s sole manufacturer of cappuccino and espresso machines – a market traditional dominated by Italian and Spanish manufactures.
• The 40-strong team sells almost 3,000 machines every year to customers including the Patisserie Valerie, Druckers coffee shops and Pathfinder pub chains.
• Despite the recession, Fracino saw production increase by 20 per cent in 2009 10.9% in 2010 17.5% in 2011 and 12.3% in 2012.
• The company’s portfolio includes 55 products. Fracino manufacture a range of coffee machines including the bean-to-cup Cybercino machine, hand fill machines and a range of traditional machines including the stylish Romano and the new PID (Proportional Integral Derivative).
• Fracino’s portfolio also extends to dishwashers, glass washers, ice machines and water boilers.
Awards
• A Millennium Product Award for design for the Roastilino counter top roaster
• Recognition as one of the UK’s fastest growing inner city enterprises.
• The first company of its kind to gain the ISO 9002 quality standard.
• The Caterer and Hotelkeeper Equipment & Supplies Excellence Awards 2009 for Fracino’s Cybercino bean to cup coffee machine.
