GRP mouldings, assemblies and vacuum forming for OEMs
The finish is built in.
Covers, panels and assemblies in glass-reinforced plastic and vacuum-formed sheet, with the colour and surface moulded in. Trimmed by robot, assembled ready to fit and shipped from Suffolk to OEMs across Europe. No paint shop. No second supplier.
Send a drawing, a sketch or a sample part. One project manager looks after you from first reply to final delivery.
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The King's Award for Enterprise International Trade, 2024
- ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 Certified by BSI
- Moulding for Philips since 1987 MR and CT scanner covers
- Over half of sales exported Mostly to Europe
Moulded for
- Philips
- Elekta
- JCB
- Caterpillar
- Ariel
- EVAC
- Royal Mail
and specialist vehicle, motorhome and plant makers across Europe
The as-moulded finish
We start with the surface.
Every Broadwater part begins as a gel coat sprayed into a polished tool: your colour, in high gloss, semi-gloss or a texture. The laminate is built up behind it, so the face you see is finished before the part leaves the mould. Closed-mould processes give a smooth back face as well.
Leaving out the paint shop saves time and money. And where chips and scratches are part of the job, a gel coat keeps its looks for longer than paint. That durability has won us work on its own.
Up to 70%
is what painting can add to the cost of a composite panel. Our as-moulded finish takes it out.
Inside a Broadwater moulding
Select a layer to see what it does.
Need fire performance? Resins can be formulated for flame retardancy or low smoke, and we hold our own UL certification for fire-resistant polyester mouldings.
Sectors
Built into machines you know.
Most of what we make carries someone else's badge. This is where it ends up.
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Medical imaging
Scanner covers for Philips since 1987
Cover systems for Philips MR scanners for more than 35 years, and now for the Spectral CT 7500 too. Tight tolerances and flawless faces, supplied as parts or fully assembled. We also work with Elekta.
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Performance and commercial vehicles
Body, tooling and all for the Ariel Atom 4
After ten years as Ariel's moulder, we made the tooling and fourteen GRP body parts for the fourth-generation Atom, from bonnet to airbox. Panels for HGVs, vans and ATVs too.
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Agriculture and construction plant
A Caterpillar tool in under two weeks
When Caterpillar's incumbent supplier could not deliver, we built a six-impression press tool over Christmas, then shipped more than 1,000 colour-matched, unpainted parts within five months.
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Rail
Shrouds for Railjet and Nightjet trains
Hand-laid shrouds with a flawless outer surface for EVAC's integrated sanitary system, fitted to Siemens-built ÖBB Railjet and Nightjet trains. EVAC is a Knorr-Bremse brand.
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Leisure vehicles
Motorhome panels that stay looking new
Mouldings and panels for long-established motorhome makers and conversion specialists, with resins and gel coats chosen to stand up to weather, UV and road grime.
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Material handling
Safeglide spiral chutes, since the 1980s
Developed with the Post Office and made by us ever since: modular GRP chutes powered by gravity, with no moving parts. They keep parcels moving for retailers and carriers including Amazon, DHL, DPD and Next.
Process finder
Which process suits your part?
We run seven composite processes and thermoforming under one roof, so we can recommend what suits your part rather than what suits our machines. Four quick questions give you a starting point.
Our starting point
Spray lay-up
Open mould
Chopped glass and resin sprayed in behind the gel coat: quick to lay up on larger, simpler shapes, with low-cost tooling.
- Tooling
- Single-sided composite tool, made in-house
- Output
- About one part per tool per day. More tools, more parts.
- Finished faces
- One: the gel-coated front
Also worth a look: hand lay-up for detailed shapes, or RTM-Light if the back will be seen.
Send this to a project engineerA starting point, not a quote. Our engineers confirm the right route when they review your design.
Compare all eight processes
| Process | Best for | Typical volumes | Finished faces | Tooling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hand lay-up | Large or complex parts, prototypes, one-offs and restorations | One-offs to a few hundred a year | One | Single-sided composite |
| Spray lay-up | Larger, simpler shapes | Tens to hundreds | One | Single-sided composite |
| Resin infusion | Large, stiff structural parts with high glass content | Tens to hundreds | One | Single-sided composite, vacuum bagged |
| RTM-Light | Medium runs where both faces show | Hundreds to a few thousand | Two | Matched composite, made in-house |
| RTM | Tight tolerances and consistent wall thickness | Hundreds to thousands | Two | Rigid matched tools |
| Low-pressure press moulding (LPPM) | High volumes, fast cycles, multi-impression tools | Thousands | Two | Metal or metal-faced, or our low-cost composite version |
| PU foam cores | Stiffness without weight in RTM, RTM-Light and LPPM parts | With the process it joins | n/a | Moulded in-house |
| Thermoforming (vacuum forming) | Recyclable thermoplastic parts up to 3 m × 2.5 m | Tens to a few thousand | One | Forming tool |
Drawing to delivery
Every step under one roof. One project manager throughout.
From the first design review to the delivery note, your project stays in our hands and with one named contact. Fewer hand-offs, fewer surprises.
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01
Design for manufacture
CAD, 3D scanning, 3D-printed prototypes and CNC machining. We suggest the changes that save cost before a tool is cut.
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02
Tooling
Patterns and moulds designed, made, commissioned and maintained here, from low-cost composite tools to multi-impression press tools. Your existing tools are welcome too.
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03
Moulding
Hand and spray lay-up, RTM, RTM-Light, low-pressure press moulding and resin infusion, with polyurethane foam cores. Plus thermoforming.
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04
Robotic trimming
Two 5-axis Fanuc cells trim more than 70% of our mouldings: repeatable edges and holes at a lower part cost than hand trimming.
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05
Assembly
Brackets, seals, wiring harnesses, electronics, even calibrated lasers, fitted here so parts arrive ready to fit on your line or on site.
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06
Inspection and delivery
Checked under our ISO 9001 system, with CMM reports, PPAP and ISIR on request. Shipped by road, sea or air, with AEO status to speed customs.
Fast when it matters. When a Caterpillar supplier fell through, our engineers had a six-impression press tool ready for production in under two weeks, with Christmas in between. At full capacity it makes 120 parts a day.
Talk to an engineerLong relationships
Customers stay. So do the parts.
We've had a great relationship with Broadwater over the last ten years and they are our first choice for GRP mouldings.
1987
The year we began moulding covers for Philips MR scanners. We still make them, along with covers for the Spectral CT 7500.
14
Body parts for the Ariel Atom 4, tooled and moulded here, from the bonnet and seat to the airbox.
<2 weeks
From Caterpillar's call to a six-impression tool ready for production.
1,000+
Colour-matched Caterpillar parts delivered in the first five months. None of them painted.
Thermoforming and vacuum forming
Recyclable parts, formed up to three metres.
In 2023 we invested more than £250,000 in a large-format vacuum former. It takes sheet up to 3 m by 2.5 m with 1.3 m of draw, so it suits big covers as well as small trims, and every part and offcut is 100% recyclable.
You get the same project management, tooling and assembly as our GRP work. Capped sheets give a finished surface straight off the tool, so here too there is nothing to paint.
- Gloss whitePMMA-capped ABS
- Gloss greyPolypropylene
- Fabric effectABS
- Soft-touch leatherTPU-capped ABS
Quality and recognition
Certified three times over. Honoured by the King's Award.
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ISO 9001
Quality management
Every part that leaves the factory goes through our inspection procedure.
Certificate for ISO 9001(PDF) -
ISO 14001
Environmental management
Environmental targets set every year and reviewed every six months.
Certificate for ISO 14001(PDF) -
ISO 45001
Health and safety
A safe, well-run factory, independently audited.
Certificate for ISO 45001(PDF) -
UL
Fire-resistant mouldings
Our own Underwriters Laboratories certification for fire-resistant polyester mouldings.
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PPAP & ISIR
Part approval
Production part approval and initial sample reports, with CMM inspection, on request.
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AEO
Authorised Economic Operator
Customs-audited since 2020, so our exports clear the border with fewer checks.
The King's Award for Enterprise: International Trade, 2024. Awarded for overseas sales that grew 90% in three years, to two-thirds of the total. Presented at our factory by the Lord-Lieutenant of Suffolk.
2 wins
East Suffolk Business Awards 2024: Growing Business of the Year and Large Business of the Year.
Top 100
Suffolk's leading private companies, with our parent, the Betts Group, ranked by Suffolk Limited.
Members of Composites UK, the trade association for the UK composites industry.
About Broadwater
More than fifty years of moulding in Suffolk.
From a first factory in Diss to a purpose-built head office at Ellough, near Beccles, and a second factory at Horham, Broadwater has been moulding in Suffolk for more than half a century. We are part of the family-owned Betts Group, started by Pat Betts with aerodynamic parts for commercial vehicles, alongside our sister company Hatcher Components.
Over those years we have grown from contract moulder into design partner. People stay, too: recent retirements came after 42, 44 and almost 46 years with us, and we train the next generation through Level 3 apprenticeships in composite engineering.
- 7,500 m²
- of works on a 4.3-acre site at Ellough
- 2
- Suffolk factories, at Beccles and Horham
- 150+
- people across both sites
Led by Matthew Herbert, Managing Director; Mags Humphrey, Finance Director; and Carl Reddington, Technical Director.
Careers
Make parts the world relies on.
We often have openings for laminators, moulders, trimmers, finishers and packers at Horham. Experience helps, but attitude matters more: full training is provided.
- Finish at noon every Friday
- 21 days' holiday, rising to 24 with long service, plus a paid Christmas closure
- Company pension, free parking and hot drinks
- Starting pay from £13.01 an hour
Questions
Before you send a drawing.
Can't see your question? Call a project engineer on +44 (0)1502 719310.
What is the difference between GRP and FRP?
FRP (fibre-reinforced plastic) is the family name for plastics strengthened with fibres. GRP (glass-reinforced plastic, often called fibreglass) is the most common kind: glass fibres in a resin, usually polyester. Most of what we mould is GRP, and we use phenolic or epoxy resins where a part needs low smoke emission or extra strength.
Will our parts need painting?
Usually not. We mould the finish in as a gel coat, in gloss, semi-gloss or a texture, colour-matched to your specification, so the part leaves the mould finished. Painting is still available when a specification calls for it.
What volumes do you make?
Anything from a handful of parts to several thousand a year. We choose the process to suit: hand or spray lay-up for low volumes and large parts, RTM-Light and RTM for medium runs, and low-pressure press moulding for high volumes. A six-impression press tool can make 120 parts a day.
Do you make the tooling?
Yes. We design, make, commission and maintain moulds in-house, from low-cost composite tools to metal-faced press tools. We can also take over tools you already own and keep production running without a gap.
Can you supply finished assemblies?
Yes. Parts can leave us trimmed, drilled and fitted with brackets, seals, wiring harnesses or electronics, ready to fit on your production line or on site.
Can you mould fire-retardant parts?
Yes. Polyester resins can be formulated for flame retardancy, phenolic resins give low smoke emission, and we hold our own UL certification for the manufacture of fire-resistant polyester mouldings. Tell us the standard your part must meet and we will advise on the material.
Do you export?
Yes. More than half of our sales go overseas, mostly to Europe, and our export growth earned us the King's Award for Enterprise in International Trade in 2024. As a UK Authorised Economic Operator, our shipments clear customs with fewer checks.
What do you need from us for a quote?
A 3D model (STEP or IGES is ideal) or a 2D drawing, the number of parts a year, the finish and colour, and any standards the part must meet. A sketch, a photo or an existing part is a fine place to start.
Do you offer vacuum forming?
Yes. Our thermoforming machine takes sheet up to 3 m by 2.5 m with 1.3 m of draw, in materials including ABS, PMMA-capped ABS, polypropylene and TPU-capped ABS. Parts and offcuts are 100% recyclable.
Where are you based?
Our head office and main factory are at Benacre Road, Ellough, Beccles, Suffolk NR34 7XD, and our second factory is at Horham Business Park, near Eye. Customers are welcome to visit.
Request a quote
Tell us about your part.
Send a drawing, a sketch or just a description. A project engineer will look at it properly and reply, and the same person stays with your project to the end.
- 3D models (STEP or IGES) and 2D drawings welcome
- Happy to work under your NDA
- Existing tools can be transferred to us
Head office and factory Benacre Road, Ellough, Beccles, Suffolk NR34 7XD
Second factory Horham Business Park, Horham Road, Eye, Suffolk IP21 5DQ
Thank you. Your enquiry is with us.
A project engineer will review it and reply. If it's urgent, call us on +44 (0)1502 719310.