F1 popularity leads to growth for manufacturing specialist Silverstone Composites

Silverstone Composites has celebrated its ninth anniversary with expansion into larger premises at Silverstone Park following increased demand from teams in F1 for its manufacturing capabilities.

The company, which specialises in rapid manufacturing of intricate, lightweight componentry using carbon fibre, now provides its services to six of F1’s ten teams.

“We expect that to become seven teams in 2026 for obvious reasons if you follow F1,” states MD Marcus Trofimov.

“Currently our workforce is 16 people with 12 of those in technician roles on the workshop floor.

“This autumn we will be looking to recruit at least six more young people to train up.”

Silverstone Composites has invested £350,000 in the fit-out of its larger premises – 11,602sq ft compared to the 5,150sq ft it previously occupied on site.

The investment, with support from the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership, has paid for new machinery, autoclaves, dust and wall partitions, workshop benches and tools.

A further £150,000 has been invested into industrial air conditioning systems. But it’s not all work without play – the premises now also house a spacious games and chill-out area featuring pool table, darts board and racing simulators.

Marcus says:

“This company is based on the people – not just the customers or the money it makes.

“We invest time in our people and give them the best environment possible – after all they are here more daylight hours in a day than they are at home.”

Marcus believes F1’s astronomical rise in global popularity in recent times has put his company in pole position to benefit from the sport’s success.

That’s not to say he won’t consider other sectors and there is a desire to explore possibilities in space plus, increasingly, defence.

But he adds:

“We keeping falling back to motorsport, predominantly F1. In fact, we can’t seem to slow down! The continued growth is there.

“F1 is no longer a rich man’s hobby. It’s a business model and not only there to support itself but all the industries that supply into it.

“That makes it easier for supply chain businesses to grow because the teams have become much more structured with their finances.

“They are giving you 12-month opposed to six-month work commitments and, with the regulation changes, helps secure the work for future years.”

Article by Carl McKellar