Published on 4 - May - 2012

News

TROX celebrates half a century in the UK

TROX UK is celebrating its 50th anniversary. The UK subsidiary company of the TROX Group was established in 1962 and a new production facility was built in Thetford in 1971.

Its 50th year in business marks the achievement of an important ambition for TROX. The company said in a statement: "With its new X-CUBE central air handling unit now in full-scale production, and available in the UK in 2013, TROX has become the only manufacturer in its sector capable of supplying virtually all components required for a complete air conditioning system, from a single source."

The TROX Group was first established in Germany in 1951 by Heinrich Trox. By the early 60s, Heinrich Trox's sons, Heinz and Klaus, had joined the company and embarked on a programme of expansion, with TROX UK becoming the first subsidiary company. Through the following decades the TROX Group has continued its process of globalisation.

Today, the TROX Group still remains under family ownership, with Heinz Trox the main share holder. The Group employs 3,300 people in 24 subsidiary companies in 23 countries on five continents.

There are 13 TROX production facilities, 25 additional wholly-owned sales offices, and a network of more than 50 importers and representatives. Group turnover showed positive growth during 2011, increasing by 11 per cent from EUR 350 million to about EUR 390 million.

The UK operation has also grown, and TROX UK now employs 159 people based at four sites. Many of the company's staff have devoted their entire careers to working for TROX. The average service across the workforce is 11 years, while 22 employees have between 25 and 40 years service, and four employees have worked for TROX for more than 40 years.

TROX UK managing director Ian Sams commented: "The economic climate of the last few years hasn't made life easy for our industry in the UK and, like many of our peers and customers, we've had to restructure to ensure that we can continue to deliver new products, serve customers effectively and be financially robust.

"That has involved some painful decisions. But the process of restructuring is now complete and, as we embark on our second half century, we are leaner and stronger, and can focus on moving forward. Looking at our industry now, the landscape is very different to it was at the outset of the economic downturn, and there is a greater appreciation than ever before of the benefits delivered by the TROX product range."