Contrary to some rumours that have been filtering their way through to MX Group, all of the shower manufacturer’s products, apart from its gel coat shower trays, are unaffected by the fire that took place in November 2014.

Chairman Bernard Robinson said: “Manufacturing and delivery is as it has always been – excellent and on time.”

Mr Robinson is keen to share his gratitude and respect for a number of people who have been responsible for helping the company get over the fire so quickly and back into production in such a short time. He acknowledged: “I’d like to thank the fire service, whose team were magnificent on the night, displaying their knowledge and understanding of how to restrict damage and address the complex nature of the fire. Our customers, who have been understanding and patient and happily surprised by how little disruption there has been to our dealings with them, apart from the communications issues we had initially due to telephone and internet lines ‘melting’ in the fire. And finally and by no means lastly – our employees who have been brilliant, pulling in the same direction as we made huge efforts to recover from the situation we were in.”

Despite the fire occurring on 13 November, 2014, MX Group was back up and making trays by 17 November. Just over a month down the line, the company has trained a number of new members of staff to move to a 24-hour production.

MX lost several hundred production moulds for shower trays in the fire – they were production moulds and not master moulds, which are kept off site. By 8 December, 2014, the manufacturer had replaced many of the lost moulds so it had at least one of every size of tray it required. By the start of February 2015, every one of the tools lost in the fire will be replaced and in full production.

In order to produce for 24 hours a day, MX has bought a mixing and pouring machine, a heavy duty grinder, and an additional packing machine.

The demolition of Unit 2B – the burned out part of the site - began on 15 December, 2014. MX expects to have the factory re-built and in production by early April 2015. The new factory will comprise one streamlined unit for shower tray manufacturing with all the latest technology.

Mr Robinson concluded: “MX has come through this temporary ‘blip’ stronger and more ready to serve its customers than before. It’s so true that for every cloud, there’s a silver lining and MX is facing the future with confidence and determination, to continue to grow and provide the products the market wants, in the quality it demands at prices it wants to pay.”