Derby entrepreneur chooses iHub for composites start-up

Composite Braiding, a start-up company specialising in thermoplastic composite braiding, has chosen Derby’s iHub innovation centre on Infinity Park as its new base.

The company, which is headed-up by Little Eaton businessman Steve Barbour, will be at the 45,000 sq ft iHub, on Infinity Park, the 100-acre commercial and technology site, located between Sinfin and Chellaston.

The firm has taken a 1,000 sq ft workshop, which will enable it to establish its own manufacturing capability.

Composite Braiding specialises in thermoplastic composite braiding, a process which provides a stronger, tougher and more flexible alternative to woven composites. By combining thermoplastic with a composite material, braided structures are tailored to meet demands and performance criteria across any sector.

As well as enabling products to be purpose-designed, it generates a 50 – 60% weight save and it is inherently recyclable at its end of life stage.

Prior to setting up Composite Braiding, Barbour was managing director of two successful UK composite manufacturing businesses as well as running a factory in South Africa, while general manager of a business in the Advanced Composite Group, based in Heanor.

Before that, he worked for Rolls-Royce – his last two roles being head of marketing and customer business director, which involved running sales, customer service and commercial teams for Europe.

He said: “After being in jobs that involved a lot of travelling and working away from home, I wanted to set up base somewhere closer to my home in Little Eaton. I toured several other buildings in and around Derby, but the iHub was far superior in terms of the variety of workshop sizes, and the lease terms.

“As a relatively new company, I was looking for premises that could really nurture the business and take to the next stage of its development. I believe the iHub is the perfect place for me to do this and the business will benefit from Connect Derby’s co-ordinated centre management and business support structure.”

Ann Bhatti, Connect Derby manager, added: “Composite Braiding is one of a growing number of tenants taking office and workshop space at the iHub.

“Steve and his team are helping the iHub to reinforce its reputation for creating cutting-edge ideas, particularly in the aerospace, automotive and transport engineering industries.”