Devon-based Rotolok, established in 1973 by founder, Dan McCauley, with a £2,000 overdraft, is celebrating 50 years of success. The family-run business quickly outgrew its initial premises, prompting a relocation to Bampton, a move that played a pivotal role in establishing Rotolok as a global leader in the manufacture of rotary valves and other high quality engineered powder processing and bulk materials-handling equipment. Over the years the company has also expanded through strategic acquisitions of associated companies including Solitec Engineering, Roots, and Blo-Tech. Through these acquisitions, Rotolok has been able to provide complete turnkey solutions to its clients in both the UK and overseas.Venturing into the US market allowed the company to uphold its strategy of reinvestment.

Rotolok has also acquired ‘state of the art’ manufacturing equipment, including laser cutting and CNC machining centres. Its ownership of a foundry further enabled the company to maintain control over the entire manufacturing process, from initial casting to final assembly, ensuring that it consistently delivers high-quality valves with short delivery times.

Furthermore, investing in its people has always been a core value at Rotolok. The company has a successful apprenticeship programme, which has trained a large number of apprentices, many of which are still with the company.

Rotolok’s move to its current 50,000ft² headquarters in Tiverton has allowed Rotolok to meet the growing demand for its high-quality, British-made equipment and provides room for future growth. More recent investments include a ‘state of the art’ robotic welding cell.

Sean Swales, Rotolok Group managing director, said: “We look back on our last 50 years with immense pride, but we also look forward with excitement and determination. The future holds endless possibilities, and we are well-equipped to embrace new challenges and seize emerging opportunities in an ever-changing and challenging business landscape.”