Zotefoams

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Zotefoams plc
Company typePLC Public limited company
LSEZTF
IndustryTechnical foam manufacture
Founded1921
HeadquartersLondon, England
Area served
UK, USA, Japan, Europe, Asia (principal market)
Key people
Lynn Drummond, (Chair)
David Stirling, (CEO)[1]
ProductsPolyolefin foams, PVDF foams, nylon foams, TPE foams
RevenueDecrease £127.0 million (2023)[2]
Increase £15.1 million (2023)[2]
Decrease £9.2 million (2023)[2]
Websitewww.zotefoams.com

Zotefoams Plc manufactures a range of closed cell crosslinked foams from polyolefins and engineering polymers for global use in sports, construction, marine, automation, medical equipment and aerospace. The headquarters are in Croydon, London, with additional foam manufacturing plants in Kentucky, USA and Brzeg, Poland.

History[edit]

The company was founded by Charles Marshall as an expanded rubber manufacturer known as Onazote Limited in 1921. It then expanded into polyethylene foams in the 1960s.[3]

It was acquired by BP in the 1970s, spun out from BP in 1992, and first listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1995.[4]

In May 2000, Zotefoams entered a worldwide sales and marketing alliance for polyolefin foams with the Sekisui Chemical Company Ltd ('Sekisui'), which acts as agent and distributor for Zotefoams in continental Europe, Asia and some customers in North America.[5]

A fire at the factory in Beddington in October 2000 destroyed 30% of the building and disrupted some deliveries to customers.[6]

The company acquired the 50% investment that it did not already own in its joint venture with King Lai Group, Kunshan Zotek King Lai, based in Kunshan in China, in January 2017.[7]

In November 2022, Zotefoams acquired the Skanderborg-headquartered packaging material manufacturer, Refour ApS.[8]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Board of Directors". ZoteFoams. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Annual Results 2023". Zotefoams. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  3. ^ "Zotefoams". Manufacturing Today. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  4. ^ "Strong support for Zotefoams float". The Independent. 22 February 1995. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  5. ^ "Strategic alliance with Sekisui / Complementary portfolios / Access to emerging markets". Plasteurope. 31 May 2000. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  6. ^ "Looking back: 15 years ago this week fire gutted the Zotefoams factory". Your Local Guardian. 23 October 2015. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  7. ^ "Zotefoams acquires joint venture with King Lai". Sharecast. 6 January 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  8. ^ "Zotefoams acquires Refour ApS". Sustainable Plastics. 10 November 2022. Retrieved 8 February 2024.

External links[edit]