Insider Media Limited

A Warwickshire-based hydraulics company, which was launched seven years ago in a spare room, has moved into new premises on Northfield Road. Trident Hydrolics and Electronics has relocated to a 3,000 sq ft unit as it prepares to forge trading links with China.

Mike Forster established Trident Hydraulics and Electronics in 2003 at his home in Whitnash near Leamington, and is now preparing to double his current site in Southam after receiving support from Yorkshire Bank.

The 3,000 sq ft premises at Holywell Business Park will house a fully automised 'Test Rig' to assess large hydraulic components such as pumps and motors.

Roger Luo and James Chen from China have visited Trident Hydraulics ahead of the opening of a new office in Kunshan, Shanghai, early next year to manufacture goods for the Chinese and Asia market.

Mike Forster, managing director of Trident Hydraulics, said: “There are only four other companies in the UK that provide this service. At the moment we can only repair them and not test them, but that will all change when we launch the additional service in January 2011.

“The current unit will remain as our warehouse and upstairs we will have a boardroom and offices for Roger and James when they are in the UK on business as well as a conference room to provide training. We have nine staff but that may increase in the new year.

“I first went to China three years ago and have built relationships over there. We have formed a joint venture called Trident Hercules and Partners and a 3,000 sq ft unit will open in Shaghai in February or March next year to test components for Chinese suppliers and for us to be a distributor of products in the UK and Europe.

“We’re going to be designing products for the Asian market and with the contacts we have built with Roger and James, they will be able to open doors.”

Martin Boag, business partner at Yorkshire Bank’s Financial Solutions Centre at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry, said: “Trident is becoming a major player in this niche industry in the UK as well as manufacturing and designing products for the Chinese market and diversity such as this is key to the growth of companies.

“There is a gap in the market in the Midlands to test these extremely heavy hydraulic pump and motors cylinders and valves and the floor in the new unit has been strengthened particularly to house this machine.”