Boat builder bucking the trend

THOUGH the boat building industry is still in the doldrums, with many of those hit by the downturn in boating still out of business, one boat builder is bucking the trend and even expanding.

The Nottingham Boat Company at Ratcliffe-on-Soar has seen its output rocket after a big investment in new machinery and use of modern technology, Alan Tilbury reports.

Increase in staff

With already a staff of 15, owners Les and Jeanette Robinson hope to increase this by 10 more to accommodate the extra work, that was at a mere three staff just five years ago.

We are told it all comes down to greater efficiencies and an increase in work capacity, with technology playing an important part, and the incentive to make the jobs easier to allow concentration on both reliability and quality.

The company is based at Red Hill Marina on the Soar, and produces both wide beam boats and narrowboats from hulls that are bought in. The Galaxy Class is one of its series of wide beams that it offers.