Kitchen and bathroom surface specialist, Maxtop Quartz Ltd, is strengthening its manufacturing capabilities and product offering with a brand new, state-of-the-art factory in China.

Situated at Chouzhou, near Shanghai, the 28,000 sq ft facility boasts ultra-modern machinery and the space to increase manufacturing capacity by 900 per cent.

Maxtop Quartz launched to the UK market in 2014, offering a unique alternative to natural stone – a patented polypropylene honeycomb interior topped with an 8mm layer of solid quartz. Lightweight, but with the aesthetics of a solid stone surface, the product will soon be manufactured using more modern, automated processes, making it even stronger and quicker to produce.

Previously manufactured using manual techniques and several components, the ‘new and improved’ Maxtop Quartz will be one solid piece of quartz surrounding the original patented interior, rather than having separate strengthening bars and slightly visible join lines at the edges. In addition, it will also offer better ‘profiling’ capabilities, providing increased flexibility for curved edges and corners.

The new factory will help Maxtop meet growing demand across the UK and Europe and also support expansion into new markets.

The Manchester-headquartered company is considering America after positive feedback at KBIS (the Kitchen and Bathroom Industry Show) where it exhibited in Florida in January.

Stephen Moss, managing director of Maxtop Quartz Ltd, said: “It’s a very exciting time for us as we’ve been going from strength-to-strength over the last four years, but the new facility is going to catapult us to the next level.

“Up until now, we’ve been operating with restricted supply, but our new factory will provide plenty of room to grow and enable us to meet growing demand.

“Increasingly both commercial and residential customers are looking at ways to maximise budgets, without compromising on aesthetics and Maxtop provides the perfect solution in this instance.

“The new manufacturing process will eradicate any minor inconsistencies that existed previously and provide a solid piece that provides greater flexibility for installers and consumers.

“It’s unfortunate in many ways that our product’s USP is its core because you can’t see the unique interior, however as the old adage goes, it’s what’s on the inside that counts and that, combined with the material’s aesthetic, is what gives it stand out in the marketplace.”

The ‘new and improved’ Maxtop will be available from the end of Q2 and a selection of new finishes will be launched at the same time, including marble-look options.

For more information about Maxtop Quartz, visit www.maxtopquartz.co.uk or the company’s Facebook and Twitter pages. To book onto your nearest training course, visit www.maxtopquartz.co.uk/installation-training-days.