Manufacturer puts Bolton on the map with worldwide export success

BOLDMAN, the Bolton manufacturer of aluminium structures, is flying the flag for the town across the world with over 50 per cent of its business now coming from overseas sales.

Set up in 1996, the manufacturer now employees 22 people in its workshop on the Britannia Way Industrial Estate and ships its aluminium products to Angola, Ivory Coast, Malaysia, Norway, Nigeria and the USA. Plans are also in place to see the product exported to Brazil, Czech Republic and Ghana by the end of the year. The company’s export success comes off the back of two record years of growth, with a reported turnover of £3.5million in the last financial year, up on £1.5million in 2013.

Boldman began as a distributor of the Paletti Aluminium profile system. It remains the UK & Ireland’s only distributor and has attributed its recent success to innovations such as the new transparent glass ballistic test cell, which is revolutionising the oil and gas industry worldwide by making it easier for clients to carry out safety tests on equipment.

Boldman designs, develops and manufactures bespoke aluminium structures used in industries such as aerospace, automotive, pharmaceutical and nuclear. Its export success has come as a result of its expansion into the oil and gas industry for the first time in 2012.

CEO Nigel Clarke said, “We have seen a phenomenal increase in turnover over the last couple of years. I believe our continued growth is due to our commitment to new ideas, we have strived to find new markets and uses for our products – from the jigs for the building of the Eurofighter to ultra-accurate high definition screens such as the ones at Heathrow – we are pushing the boundaries for the use of aluminium.

He further added “Lancashire has a strong heritage in manufacturing and I’m proud Boldman is doing its bit exporting our products to places like Angola and Nigeria. We are helping put Bolton on the map.”