Our History
Humble Beginnings
In 1973 David Price purchased a small piece of Mermaid Pools based in Sussex and with the company’s possessions contained within a shoebox, headed to West Yorkshire to find a suitable factory to commence production. The company started out in a small factory on the Olympia Industrial Estate on Geldard Lane in Leeds, under the shadows of the Elland Road stadium. From here the company started to manufacture swimming pool covers and soon moved into the more generalised world of tarpaulins. Over time the company expanded into tank liners and covers and soon outgrew the Leeds premises.
A New Era
Following a brief stint in Harrogate, the business finally relocated to Thirsk in North Yorkshire in 1989 and set up shop in what is now our head office. Over the years the company has manufactured fabricated covers for a multitude of industries and use cases, however the high tech Power Plastics of today bears little resemblance to the company starting out in the early 1970s. Gone are the days of manufacturing swimming pool covers and tarpaulins, with the company now supplying tents into the military, vast cover systems for aircraft carriers and installing complex aluminium and fabric structures into the water industry, to name just a few of our current products and services.
Power Plastics Today
Today Power Plastics employs over 110 staff and operates from four sites across the North of England, with manufacturing facilities located in Bradford, Thirsk and Teesside. The company operates more tracker welders (FIAB) than any other manufacturer in the UK, 18 at last count as well as half a dozen CNC machines, giving it unparalleled manufacturing capacity and scale. Click Here for a virtual 3D Tour of our Thornaby Manufacturing site in Teesside.
From providing protective mats to the ITV 1990’s hit show Gladiators, to supplying a fumigation chamber for cleaning the Mona Lisa and covering the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious, Power Plastics has turned its hand to solving a myriad of problems. Below is a brief timeline of how a small water tank business in the South East of England has morphed into one of the country’s largest fabricated cover engineering business, located across the North East of England.
A Timeline of Growth and Innovation
1973
Company Founded By David Price in the Olympia Trading Estate on Gelderd Lane In Leeds. In the early days the company primarily manufactured swimming pool covers and tarpaulins.
1980’s
Within a few years Power Plastics had also established itself as one of the UK’s leading swimming pool cover manufacturers.
1983
Out growing our Leeds acility, the company relocated our Factory And Head Office To Hornbeam Park in Harrogate, North Yorkshire.
1983
The company made its first acquisition, of Ripon based Claro Plastics, significantly extending our tarpaulin and bulk liner business.
1984
Commissioned to make a temporary roof cover for the rebuild of the York Minster roof following a devasting fire earlier in the year.
1989
By the late 80s we had outgrown our facility in Harrogate, which saw the relocation of the business to its current head office and factory in Thirsk North Yorkshire (20,0000 square foot).
1991
Following the first Gulf War, the company secured our first Contract With the UK Ministry Of Defence for provision of tent insulation.
1993
Due to an increase in trade with South Africa, the company opened its first overseas factory in Cape Town, South Africa. The South African business was later sold in 2004.
1995
Supply Of Fabric Cover For The Dry Dock Refit Of Aircraft Carrier HMS Illustrious, which was soon followed by other
naval refurbishment projects, such as HMS Ocean.
1997
The company made its second acquisition of Tuck Plastics Limited, taking us into the swimming pool liner market.
1999
Purchase Of Our First CNC Automated Cutting Machine, One Of The First In The UK. This enabled us to significantly increase our capacity and today we have 4 CNC machines.
2002
Delivery of world's largest tobacco fumigation chamber to BAT Malaysia, with other projects at the time including fumigation of the UK Royal Family’s State Carriage and protecting Scott’s 1912 Antarctic artefacts ahead of then being exhibited in the National Maritime Museum.
2005
Purchase of our first Travelling Welder, starting our journey to becoming the UK’s No. 1 in terms of welding capabilities.
2005
After 30 years of continual production, we sold our B2C swimming pool business to Certikin International Limited, to focus on larger B2B projects
2007
Supply Of Protective Cover For The Decommissioning Of Hunterston B Nuclear Power Station In Ayrshire, Scotland
2008
Partial Covering Of the Ringsend Sewage Treatment Plant in Dublin, Ireland, for odour control
2012
Commencement of the manufacturing and export of gas holder domes worldwide
2012
Our first manufacture and Supply of roof sheeting for a fabric covered sports training structure, installed by our partners at Brighton & Hove Albion training ground
2014
Installation of odour control covers for United Utilities at Sandown Docks in Liverpool
2016
First Full Covering Of Water Treatment Plant For Thames Water At Deephams, London.
2017
Company Opens Its Second Production Facility In Thornaby, Teesside (14,000 Square Feet)
2017
Installation of 6 x 41m clear span structures over post tension tanks at United Utilities’ Davy Hulme plant in Manchester
2017
Awarded Prime Contractor for the manufacture and supply of army tents to the UK Ministry of Defence
2023
Company Opens Its Third Production Facility In Thornaby, Teesside (23,000 Square Foot)
2023
Acquisition Of Protec Covers Limited In Bradford, West Yorks And A Fourth Production Facility (10,000 Square Foot)
2024
Deployment Of World’s First Cover Solution For The Capture Of Nitrogen Oxide From Severn Trent Water Treatment Tanks at Strongford, Staffordshire
2025
Power Plastics becomes a member of three leading industry groups, to help fly the flag for the UK manufacturing industry and SMEs.
Grow Your Career with Us
At Power Plastics, we excel in solving customer problems with timely, bespoke solutions. Explore career opportunities with us or submit your details, as we’re always seeking exceptional local talent.