World class products fuel solid sales - Fibrelite Composites Ltd

Turkey is the fifth biggest overseas market for award-winning Fibrelite Composites Ltd, the world’s largest manufacturer of fibreglass access covers. The company, which developed innovative lightweight covers and below-ground containment systems for use in petrol stations, sells worldwide to more than 70 countries. The products are also used by utility companies.

The cover, now an industry standard around the world, has proved especially attractive at a time when rising prices have led to an epidemic of metal thefts.

Fibrelite, which has manufacturing plants in the US and Malaysia as well as North Yorkshire, began exporting to Turkey around 15 years ago. In Turkey it sells exclusively to the petroleum industry and annual sales are running at around £500,000 a year.

“We invest time and effort in understanding the culture and business etiquette of each country and this has been the case in Turkey,” says Managing Director Ian Thompson (pictured right).

“We’ve built up a very good relationship with a Turkish distributor since we took them on four years ago. It’s been fantastic. They’re very reliable and hard-working.”

Fibrelite, set up 30 years ago and employing 100 people at its three plants, has picked up a number of prestigious business awards including Yorkshire Exporter of the Year from The Business Desk, an online business news service.

Mr Thompson adds that Turks are extremely helpful, friendly and easy to do business with. He stresses that developing close relations with business colleagues is very important.

Despite competition from lower cost, lower quality rivals from the Far East, Fibrelite has maintained its presence in Turkey and elsewhere because its products are durable enough to last the lifetime of a petrol station.