Sales rise at Chinese-owned caravan maker in Toome – The Irish News

Chinese-owned SDC Trailers in Toomebridge, which is the largest semi-trailer manufacturer in Britain and Ireland, has seen sales and profits rise again in 2023.

But the company, originally founded in 1978 in a small warehouse in Bellaghy, has seen a drop in total staff numbers, including the loss of more than 40 production staff.

Accounts filed with Companies House show a 3% increase in sales, from £222.6m to £229.2m.

Operating profit almost doubled from £8.8m to £17.1m and in the bottom line after tax the company retained just under £14m (up from £8.4m the previous year).

However, SDC Trailers’ workforce fell from 656 to 632, although the company’s wage bill still increased, rising from £24m to £25.7m.

The highest paid director got a £160,000 pay rise in 2023 (rising from £337,000 to £497,000).

SDC’s main holding company since the summer of 2016 has been China International Marine Containers (CIMC), the world’s largest container manufacturer, headquartered in Shenzhen in Guangdong, which is China’s most populous province and the 15th largest in area.

At the beginning of October, the company reached a significant milestone with the production of its 20,000th trailer on the semi-automatic production line at its Toome facility, which has been in operation since 2018.

The Deerpark Road production facility has been instrumental in increasing SDC’s production capacity since its upgrade six years ago, and this year’s developments have further enhanced the site’s capabilities, including the integration of cutting-edge technologies such as cabins state-of-the-art paintwork. and a new shot blaster system.

A new logistics center became operational in early 2024, alongside the transition from oil to LPG and the introduction of electrical material handling equipment, part of an £8.6m investment that SDV says will reinforces its commitment to environmental sustainability, safety and operational efficiency. .

SDC has been manufacturing trailers for the transport and logistics sector for 46 years, producing more than 160,000 units across its four sites in Toomebridge, Antrim, Mansfield and Southampton.

The company is known for providing customer-centric engineering and industry-first solutions, offering a variety of transportation applications, from curtainsiders and boxvans to flatbed trailers, skeletal trailers, machine carriers and drawbar trailers.

SDC Trailers group president Paul Bratton said: “This company has always been about more than just making trailers. Our goal is to build long-term relationships with our customers and constantly innovate to stay ahead of the market.

“As we celebrate the milestone of our 20,000th trailer, we look forward to the continued evolution of our production facilities to ensure SDC Trailers can continue to meet our customers’ demands for years to come.”