Leominster company, QP Reflectors Ltd, wins two major contracts (From Hereford Times)

Leominster company, QP Reflectors Ltd, wins two major contracts

8:00am Thursday 4th March 2010 in

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A LEOMINSTER company catering for the commercial satellite communications sector has won two major contracts.

QP Reflectors Ltd started trading in February last year employing three people but has since taken on seven more.

It has secured contracts with French company Telespazio worth £150,000 and a German firm Electronics GMBH worth £75,000.

The company, based in Southern Avenue, designs and manufactures focus antennas from 34cm up to 3.7m in diameter.

“The French order will be part of an extensive project promoting sustainable development in Africa and the Indian Ocean. The antennas will pick up the EUMETCAST weather data stream from the Atlantic Bird 3 Satellite,” said Steve Body, quality manager.

The company exports most of its products and has sold to companies in Italy, Taiwan and the UK.

It also supplies the research and defence markets.

Rapid expansion has been achieved because opportunities have been sought out all over the globe.

“There was a gap in the market and we have jumped on it. The business is out there but you’ve got to go and get it,” said Mr Body. “We go to trade shows all over the world and at the end of this month will be going to Dubai.”

The company’s employees include aluminum welders, machinists and metal spinners who make the large reflectors.

“These are spun from a large piece of aluminum. We have an apprentice spinner as don’t want the art to die out. A lot of work now is computer-generated but we handspin,” said Mr Body.

“A three-and-a-half metre reflector can take up to two-anda- half hours to spin and the biggest we make is 3.7 metres.

“We had one outside the building and it was surprising the number of people who have driven past and slowed down. It really caught their eye,” said Mr Body.

Other Herefordshire companies are used as part of the process.

Local firms supply QP Reflectors with mounts and also undertake painting work.