Big Bear Plastics is accelerating its growth strategy after completing a £2m investment programme aimed at expanding capacity, increasing automation and unlocking new opportunities in retail and defence markets.
The Droitwich-based manufacturer has installed two CNC machines, a new robot and a waterjet cutting system, alongside the rollout of a new ERP platform to improve production efficiency, responsiveness and new product introduction. The investment supports the company’s ambition to grow turnover beyond £10m by 2027.
Managing director Emma Hockley said the business is well positioned to capitalise on structural change within the plastics sector.
“There’s been a lot of change and consolidation in the plastics sector and that represents a big opportunity for us,” she said. “We’ve invested heavily in new technology and getting experienced manufacturing specialists in place and feel we now have the platform and capability to overcome some of industry’s pain points, including speed of response, material innovation and achieving world class quality.”
New market opportunities
Big Bear already supplies OEM customers across agriculture, construction, automotive, leisure and mobile home manufacturing. The next phase of growth will focus on point-of-sale retail and a renewed push into defence.
The company believes its ability to deliver fast turnaround times, consistent quality and flexible production volumes gives it an advantage as customers seek more agile supply partners.
“These are already delivering solutions for OEMs in automotive, agriculture and mobile home providers and we believe there are plenty of opportunities where we can deliver products to retail, as well as maximising a renewed focus on defence,” Hockley added.
To support its entry into regulated markets, Big Bear is working towards joining the JOSCAR register for the UK aerospace, defence and security sectors. The business already holds ISO 9001 accreditation and is recommended for certification to ISO 14001.
Manufacturing capability and scale
Operating from a 75,000 sq ft facility in Droitwich, Big Bear was founded in 1998 by Gerald Bloom and has evolved from vacuum forming and trimming into a full-service manufacturer covering design, development, tooling and production.
The company now offers compression moulding and waterjet cutting for medium- to high-volume moulded parts up to 3.5m x 2.5m, working with materials including ABS, PMMA-ABS, HDPE, HIPS, PC and PE across a range of finishes and thicknesses.
The newly implemented ERP system is expected to strengthen production planning, traceability and operational efficiency as order volumes increase.
“Our sales are growing steadily, and I genuinely believe we can achieve and sustain sales of £10m+ by 2027,” said Hockley. “We’ve got the capacity, the technology and a strong sales pipeline, featuring exciting opportunities in new markets.”
Jobs and future outlook
As volumes grow, Big Bear expects to create more than 20 new jobs, taking its workforce to around 100 employees.
Applications now range from children’s play equipment to technical panels for vehicle modifications and aerospace use, with discussions underway with military and defence specialists.
Hockley, who previously worked in luxury retail at Harrods, believes that storytelling can differentiate industrial manufacturers.
“It’s this eye for ‘telling a story’ I want to bring into the world of industry; it will just need to focus on the benefits of vacuum forming plastics rather than high-end fragrance brands,” she said.
With new equipment, systems and sector opportunities aligned, Big Bear Plastics is aiming to translate its investment into sustained growth and deeper penetration of high-value manufacturing markets.
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