West Yorkshire manufacturer opens factory and expands global reach with UKEF support
Source: gov.uk (2025-04-08)

Rosehill Polymers Group has opened a new factory in Sowerby Bridge following a previous financing agreement with UK Export Finance (UKEF) and Virgin Money.

The company now exports directly to over 60 countries, through an established network of distributors and end customers.

The financing is also supporting apprenticeship schemes and university placements in West Yorkshire, helping to develop the region’s future manufacturing workforce.

Founded in 1988, Rosehill Polymers Group is a UK manufacturer of high-performance polymer systems using recycled rubber. Its solutions are widely used across sectors such as highways, rail, energy, sport, and security infrastructure.

In 2023, UKEF, the UK government’s export credit agency, issued a credit guarantee for Rosehill under its General Export Facility (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukef-backs-new-funding-package-for-yorkshire-business-developing-sustainable-polymer-systems). This unlocked new financing from Virgin Money, enabling Rosehill to scale its operations and invest in global growth.

Thanks in part to this financing, the company has now expanded its direct export markets from 52 to over 60 countries and opened a second factory in Sowerby Bridge. This reflects strong international demand and the versatility of its solutions across diverse applications.

In 2024–25 alone, Rosehill used the new financing to break into nine new export markets, including Chile, Colombia, the Cayman Islands, South Africa, Angola, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iraq, and Romania.

Further growth is anticipated in 2025, with market entries planned in Argentina, Bolivia, Panama, Suriname, French Guiana, Namibia, Malaysia, Croatia, Latvia, and Singapore.

With around 100 staff based at its West Yorkshire site, including in-house chemists and technical specialists, Rosehill continues to invest in skills through apprenticeships and university placements, ensuring a strong foundation for the future.

UKEF’s support has been instrumental in helping Rosehill drive sustainable manufacturing growth, expand its international footprint, and contribute to the UK’s global trade ambitions under the government’s Plan for Change.

Alexander Celik, CEO at Rosehill Polymers Group, said:

“Rosehill has an established history of exporting our products to several developed key markets. However, as competition within the sector increases, it is more important than ever to mirror this success elsewhere. Working with UKEF has not only enabled us to tap into the potential held within Latin America, Southeast Asia and Europe, but also expand our innovative product offering to even more customers worldwide.

“As we enter this next exciting phase of growth, our attention turns to meeting global demand, all while providing opportunities for people across Yorkshire. Our apprenticeship and placement schemes lay at the heart of what we do, and as we expand our overseas footprint, we hope to see this result in increased opportunities to attract the best talent to the industry.”

Alissia Deane, West Yorkshire Export Finance Manager at UKEF, said:

“The support provided to Rosehill Polymers highlights UKEF’s commitment to helping British SMEs achieve growth in overseas markets – something which in turn supports economic growth across the UK.

“It’s fantastic to see how our support ended up helping Rosehill to reach new export markets and develop jobs and talent in the local manufacturing industry.”

Craig Wilson, Head of FX Sales & Trade Finance at Virgin Money, said:

“Rosehill are a fabulous example of a successful and innovative UK manufacturing business growing their customer base through the world, and in the process growing their workforce locally.

“We are proud to be a key partner of Rosehill and provide some of the international tools and expertise to help them to continue to grow their already impressive international success. The current deal in conjunction with UK Export Finance is another great example of collaboration between Virgin Money and UKEF to support customers trading internationally.”

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