We catch up with leading bathroom manufacturer, Trojan, ahead of its 50th anniversary in 2025
Bathrooms are a key area of the home; whether it’s spending bath time with children, or a relaxing experience after a hard week. Celebrating 50 years in business in 2025, Trojan is one of Europe’s largest manufacturers of acrylic baths, offering high quality products that meet the demands of bathroom distributors and the consumer markets across the continent.
Founded in 1975 as a family business based in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, Trojan has grown from small, humble beginnings to one of Europe’s largest and most trusted manufacturers of acrylic baths and more recently, shower trays. The business has built a strong reputation for high quality products and continues to invest in its plants and equipment to stay ahead of the competition with innovative designs.
Given Trojan’s reputation, the company’s baths are made from sanitary-grade cell cast acrylic and are designed to provide comfort and relaxation, as well as a 25-year guarantee. Trojan also offers a whirlpool and air spa fitting service to its range of baths under its Aquair brand. In addition, Trojan offers a range of specialist walk-in baths under the Bathe Easy brand – products designed and aimed at the less abled market.
Baths are not the only high-quality product on offer though; Trojan also produces bath panels and sources complementary bath shower screens. The acquisition of specialist shower tray manufacturer, Traymate, in 2021, strengthened Trojan’s portfolio as it aims to be a more complete solutions provider for its trusting and loyal customers. Originally based in Purfleet, Essex, Traymate was relocated to Huddersfield in May 2023. A dedicated shower tray factory sits one mile away from the bath plant and manufactures a range of low profile, ultra-modern gel coat stone resin bonded shower trays using premium raw materials to offer the market a product that is durable and modern looking.
Trojan operates from three dedicated sites in Huddersfield: Ramsden Mills, Firm Mills, and Ashbrow Mills. Ramsden Mills is an 11-acre site in Milnsbridge that houses three separate bath manufacturing facilities, each designed with a specific purpose, including a specialist factory to craft Trojan-cast baths. Firm Mills, on the other hand, is a three-acre site encompassing a 48,000-square-foot factory dedicated to the manufacture of shower trays. Lastly, Ashbrow Mills is a seven-acre site dedicated to specialist products such as the manufacturing floor standing skirted baths and the assembly of Aquair wellness products.
Having spoken with Trojan at the end of 2017, the team at Manufacturing Today are keen to catch up with David Mosley, Managing Director, to hear what the last seven years or so have meant for the business. “We haven’t particularly changed our operations in recent years but have instead focused on improving our products and services,” he opens. “Our biggest change has been to focus on manufacturing for other manufacturers as well as reviewing our markets post Brexit and looking at our branding in the market. For example, we’re in the process of changing our name from Trojan Plastics to Trojan Bathrooms, having purchased the rights to the name, changing our web address, and migrating our email handles to Trojan-baths.
Enhancing efficiencies
“There are several motivations behind the change in name, but the main catalyst was that the word ‘plastic’ has been under public scrutiny in recent years. Sadly, we are currently considered a single use plastic. It is frustrating that we sit in the same category as plastic straws, plastic bags and plastic packaging. I don’t see any of these items coming with a 25-year guarantee. Of course, we’re constantly reviewing our use of plastics in any packaging, and we have a commitment to both social accountability and environmental responsibility.”
Another change since 2017 is that Trojan has acquired three businesses: Thomas Crapper in 2017, Mantaleda Bathrooms in 2020 and Traymate in 2021. The acquisition of both Mantaleda and Traymate have strengthened Trojan’s product portfolio and allow a greater offering to be presented to their customers.
Traymate has not been without its issues and there have been some necessary and strategic changes since being acquired by Trojan. “We’ve recently relocated Traymate’s production facility from Essex to Huddersfield in a decision driven by two major factors,” David explains. “Firstly, the landlord of the building we acquired wanted to develop the site, forcing us to look for an alternative facility. However, we couldn’t find a suitable location in the Purfleet or Thurrock area of Essex that catered to our needs as a manufacturer. After careful consideration, we made the tough decision to move Traymate to Huddersfield, which made sense in the long term as the new site is just one mile away from Trojan’s headquarters.
“While moving the site to Yorkshire was always going to be the right thing to do from a business perspective, we were sad to say goodbye to some loyal and hardworking employees, although we did offer relocation packages for the team. However, having moved from a 7000-square-foot factory to a three-acre complex with a 46,000-square-foot building, the new site will turbocharge the business in terms of investment and employment opportunities.
Product innovation
“We’ve got much more room to expand and invest as we continue to grow,” he states. “As part of the move, we’ve invested around £750,000 in new machinery, plant and equipment, including new spray booths and spray equipment for the gel coat and new pouring and casting machines. We’ve also purchased a new sanding booth and a new packaging machine. The largest investment has been in new master and production molds to enhance the finish of our products. This substantial investment provides strong foundations for growth in years to come, but it is just the start of our ambitious plans.”
Turning to product development and innovation, David continues: “We supply products with many different routes to market. This might be to bathroom distributors and manufacturers, plumbers and merchants, direct to major high street or online retailers. These products will be supplied under a mix of both our own brand name and under OEM agreements.
“Although Traymate is best known for its low profile 25mm shower trays, the relocation of production facility and new management has enabled us to take full control of the product we are making. The investment in new molds and the innovation in the new slate effect range has hopefully told our customers we are serious about the shower tray market with ambition. Our research and development activities are constantly ongoing, and we are excited about Traymate and its future, more so as consumer habits change more to showering from bathing.”
Robust relationships
As our conversation ends, David reflects on Trojan’s upcoming 50th anniversary, as well as sharing his thoughts for the future. “Our customers, suppliers, and employees are the three important cornerstones of our business,” he shares. “We’re very fortunate to have loyal customers and suppliers, many of whom we’ve grown alongside. While we inevitably interact with new suppliers, we have a robust supply base and long-term relationships with many of them. Our employees are also crucial, and we’re lucky to have around 36 employees with over 20 years’ service and 87 with over ten year’s. This means our workforce understands the business, the products they are making and the service we strive to deliver to our customers.
“We take nothing for granted, so our mission is simply to survive,” David concludes. “We’ve seen quality competitors and customers disappear from the market over the last 50 years, and I’ve seen tremendous change during the 22 years I’ve been with Trojan. As a business, we work hard and strive to ensure our three key pillars remain at the core of everything we do. The fourth pillar is of course sheer hard work and dogged determination.”