Toolmaker warns of bogus Chinese firm
16 December 2005 – Plastics & Rubber Weekly David Eldridge

 A Yorkshire toolmaker is warning UK manufacturers about bogus Chinese companies after it was approached by a potential customer who subsequently disappeared.
European Plastics Technology Solutions, based in Elland, received an order for tooling and mouldings from a company called Zhong Tou (Shenzhen) Development Industry Co. Brian Webster, group managing director of EPTS, said that when he visited the contacts in Shenzhen the company had large offices and appeared bona fide.
He said that the contract drawn up by Zhong Tou was positively vetted by the local British consul and its Chinese counterpart in the UK. EPTS said it would not start any work on the job until the Chinese company had lodged a deposit, but no payment was made to the Yorkshire firm.
It turned to Connect China, a UK consultancy, to follow up during a visit to China, but the Zhong Tou contacts could not be traced. Webster told PRW.com he believes the contract he signed was used to get funding from the Chinese authorities or banks.
Although EPTS did not sustain losses, Webster said other UK manufacturers should not be taken in by bogus companies.
Jean Jameson of Connect China said that two other UK manufacturers had received similar offers. “These are for mass volume work that would normally be done in China, so alarm bells were ringing,” she said.
She said that bogus companies move location and there have been reports of them operating in the north now, as well as the south of the country.
"It is important to do due diligence checks on the companies making an offer," she said. This can be done from the UK by a consultancy such as Connect China.

Plastics & Rubber Weekly 19 August 2005
European Plastics Technology Solutions is moving to a new 2,000sq metre factory in Elland West Yorkshire, UK.
The group created last year, includes Cambridgeshire based Rapid Moulding Technologies (RMT), and Elland based companies Kelland Precision Tooling and injection moulder Technoparts.
The three companies should move into the new Elland factory in September.
The company has invested nearly £500,000 including nearly £90,000 in fitting out a new factory and technical centre. EPTS has also purchased new machinery including two injection moulding machines, a high speed milling machine and sparking machine.
The technical centre will be created in the former Technoparts factory, EPTS said, while the Kelland Precision Tooling site will be sublet.
A company spokesman told PRW: "No real changes in numbers - more rebalancing and getting better value from support staff across the three businesses. We will continue build-up of technical staff for design, prototyping and mould making and trialling work."