16 June 2008 ? BNL, the UK-based plastic bearing designer and manufacturer, is opening a new factory in Thailand.

The purpose-built factory near Rayong will be handed over to BNL this month and production will start later this year.

Initial work at the plant will be assembly of parts for some Asia-based customers. There will also be further opportunities to transfer other assembly work and moulding activities to the factory, said Plastics Capital, the parent of BNL. A team of 50 assemblers will commence operations during August and September.

The Rayong factory will also start injection moulding and additional staff will operate seven new Krauss Maffei moulding machines ranging from 35 tonnes up to 160 tonnes. This will bring BNL’s total machine count to 40, including those at its Knaresborough site in the UK.

BNL managing director Neil Partlett said: “BNL’s sustained growth means we have to plan for new capacity and this, combined with increasing sales of our products into Malaysia, China and other countries in Asia encouraged us to establish a new factory in Thailand.”

Plastics Capital acquired BNL from Sarnatech two years ago. Faisal Rahmatallah, executive chairman of both BNL and its parent company, said: “This is an exciting step for BNL as it proves that in addition to the significant growth in the business over the last two years, a new manufacturing facility in Thailand should open up new opportunities for further expansion in the future.”

BNL has hired Gavin Charlesworth who will oversee the Thailand operation as the managing director of BNL (Thailand). Charlesworth has lived and worked in Thailand for 10 years and is experienced in setting up operations in Thailand, Malaysia and China for international manufacturing giants such as Flextronics and Sanko Gosei.