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Don-Bur builds its own
Page 18
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SPECIALIST TRAILER maker Don-Bur continues to buck the profit trend in the trailer sector and has funded its own £1.5m investment in a factory extension at its Stoke site.
The development includes three drive-through high-bay paint booths with additional assembly space; it brings the covered manufacturing area at the plant to more than 13,000m2.
However, speaking to CM at the recent official opening of the new extension, boss Don Burton blasted the lack of support from local development agencies."We have wasted more than enough time in seeking to get grants." he said. "Without grants we just had to bite the bullet and do it ourselves. We did it internally with no borrowings whatsoever."
Even though it used the services of grant consultants, the company was still left empty-handed.
Despite the lack of local support Don-Bur continues to consolidate the turnaround that has seen it bounce back from a loss of £1.2m recorded in September 2000 to a £1.7m pre-tax profit in 2002 and further reduce its borrowings.
While the company is playing its cards close to its chest on its 2003 performance (its financial year ended in September) CM understands that Don-Bur remains comfortably in the black as margins continue to increase despite a slightly reduced turnover.
Burton has predicted that the mainstream trailer manufacturing sector could suffer further consolidation over the next 12 months, including the loss of other -medium sized" players after recent problems at Southfields. "I wouldn't be surprised at all," he added. "I certainly think we could have another `Utility'."