Celebrating success as Company of the Year: l to r Marion Maxwell, Adrian Maxwell and Alan Edwards, purchasing director of Jaguar Land Rover. Image courtesy of the Birmingham Post.
2015 is proving another momentous year for Fracino with the UK’s only manufacturer of espresso and cappuccino machines clinching four awards – including the Birmingham Post’s top prize ‘Company of the Year’- within the space of ten days.
Winning a total of eight high-profile awards this year, the third generation family business also scooped the Birmingham Post’ exporter title, which acknowledges its trailblazing success in international trade since setting up an export arm from scratch in 2008.
Manufacturing almost 5, 000 machines annually, exports have grown year on year – increasing by 24 per cent – the highest ever over the last 12 months – and constituting over £1m of Fracino’s unprecedented £4.6m turnover.
The manufacturer, which employs 60 staff, was also picked from the winners of the 12 award categories to be crowned Company of the Year in the Birmingham Post’s business awards.
Graeme Brown, editor of Birmingham Post BPM Media, said: “The quality of entrants this year was excellent, so for Fracino to come out on top is an impressive performance.
“I’m always pleased to see a manufacturer win Company of the Year. This region remains world class in engineering and production and Fracino are a case in point. The company uses ‘Brummie enginuity’ to sell coffee machines around the world – even to the Italians. It is a great case in point of how far you can take a business with hard work and the confidence to take on daunting new markets.”
Just ten days earlier Fracino clinched two high-profile regional awards from manufacturer’s association, the EEF – the Outstanding Export Award and the Smart Product Award. The latter reflects Fracino’s innovation in creating a bespoke, state-of-the-art espresso machine for SUBWAY® Franchisee outlets across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. The success of the project has resulted in machines being installed in franchises across Poland.
Additional accolades for the business in 2015 comprise the Manufacturing and Engineering category of the Midlands International Trade Awards and the New Frontiers category of the Red Ribbon Awards organised by Family Business Place.
Back in June the team clinched two awards in the space of one evening – the Midlands Family Business of the Year in the Family Business of the Year Awards and the hotly contested Manufacturer (SME) crown in the West Midlands Business Desk Business Masters awards.
Fracino MD, Adrian Maxwell, said: “What a phenomenal year it has been for our hard working and committed team who have been instrumental in us winning these fantastic awards. It is tremendous that such coveted accolades reinforce our reputation, innovation and dedication to consistently deliver world class manufacturing standards across the UK and the globe.”
About Fracino
Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2013, the family owned and run business is home to three generations of the Maxwell family. Founder Frank is the company’s chairman; his son Adrian is the MD, Adrian’s wife Marion is accounts director and their daughters Rebecca and Katrina work as service engineer and purchase administrator respectively. Their brother David also works in the business in his university breaks.
- The multi award-winning manufacturer was formed in 1963, when Birmingham engineer Frank Maxwell began making coffee machines in his garden shed.
- Fracino is the UK’s sole manufacturer of cappuccino and espresso machines – a market traditionally dominated by Italian and Spanish manufacturers.
- The 50-strong team sells over 4, 600 machines every year to customers including SUBWAY®, Patisserie Valerie, Druckers coffee shops and Pathfinder pub chains.
- Despite the recession, Fracino has achieved double digit sales growth year-on-year since 2009.
- The company’s portfolio includes 55 products. Fracino manufacture a range of coffee machines including the bean-to-cup Cybercino machine, hand fill machines and a range of traditional machines including the stylish Romano and the new PID (Proportional Integral Derivative).
- Fracino’s portfolio also extends to dishwashers, glass washers, ice machines and water boilers.
Accolades & Awards
- 2015 Birmingham Post Company of the Year
- 2015 Birmingham Post Export Award
- 2015 Family Business of the Year – Midlands
- 2015 New Frontiers Award (UK Red Ribbon Awards – Family Business Place)
- 2015 Outstanding Export Award – Midlands (EEF)
- 2015 Smart Product Award – Midlands (EEF)
- 2015 Manufacturer (SME) Award – West Midlands (Business Desk Business Masters)
- 2015 Manufacturing andf Engineering – West Midlands (Business Desk Business Masters)
- 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award (Frank Maxwell – Essential Café)
- 2013 New Frontiers Award (UK Red Ribbon Awards – Family Business Place)
- 2013 Winner of Winners Award (EEF)
- 2013 Outstanding Export Award – National (EEF)
- 2013 Excellence in International Business (Birmingham Chamber of Commerce)
- 2013 Manufacturer of the Year (Essential Café)
- 2012 Outstanding Export Award – Midlands (EEF)
- 2009 Equipment & Supplies Excellence Award (Caterer and Hotelkeeper) for the Cybercino bean to cup machine
- 2000 A Millennium Product Award (Design Council) for the Roastilino counter top roaster
- The first company of its kind to gain the ISO 9001:2008 quality standard
- Recognition as one of the UK’s fastest growing inner city enterprises
