TBA Textiles weaving a tale of success following £100k windfall

TBA General Manager Mark Lineker with Council Leader Richard Farnell

Long-established Rochdale company TBA Textiles is set to expand after scooping a £100,000 grant from the Greater Manchester Textiles Growth programme.

The company, which produces fire resistant materials, will use the cash to expand within their current site at Gorrels Way and invest in new machinery.

The firm already employs around 70 people, many of whom are from Rochdale borough, but General Manager Mark Lineker reckons that the cash injection will also enable them to create new jobs.

He said: “We have a really talented workforce, but as they get older and are looking to retire, we need to train the next generation of specialists so we can build on our company’s success.

“We currently have four fantastic young people working with us as apprentices and we’d love them to come and work full time for us once they’re fully trained. There’s a lot of talent in this borough and by getting grants to help us grow, we know that we can continue to tap into the great potential we have here in Rochdale.”

The company is a local success story, with customers including the London Underground, Heathrow Airport, Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. It also exports to over 100 countries around the globe.

Leader of Rochdale Borough Council, Richard Farnell, said: “Rochdale has always been famous for its textiles industry and it’s fantastic to see businesses like TBA at the vanguard of this great Northern textiles revival, selling goods produced in Rochdale to the rest of the world. The difference now is that our companies are exporting modern materials created using cutting edge research and technology.

“Our council supports businesses like TBA and recognises their great value in putting money into Rochdale’s economy and creating local jobs for local people. We’re proud of their success and wish them every luck in the future.”

The Greater Manchester Textiles Growth programme is part of the Greater Manchester Growth Hub, which uses a combination of European and AGMA (Association of Greater Manchester Authorities) funding to help support business growth.