Hartshorn to step down
26th June 2018

Roger Hartshorn has announced he is to step down as CEO of the Flamstead Group, owner of HL Plastics with its Liniar brand, as well as Avantek Machinery, after 41 years with HL and the group.

His announcement adds that he will leave the role in October “in order to spend more time on other personal and business interests.”

He continued: “I’m incredibly proud to have been a part of the success that HL Plastics has achieved. But I feel that now is a good time to move away, safe in the knowledge that the Group will be left in a superb position under the guidance of a proven, stable management team.”

“Our excellent parent company, Quanex Building Products, has continued to follow my philosophy of investment, new product development and technical innovation. Quanex is a long-term industrial conglomerate and I feel confident that the Liniar and Avantek businesses will continue to perform, thrive and grow, just as they have over previous years.”

Martin Thurley, who joined HL Plastics as managing director in February 2017, will assume the position of Group MD. He said “I’m extremely proud to be taking the reins and building on the success of Liniar and Avantek. Roger will be leaving us in an excellent position and with the backing of Quanex we fully expect to continue going from strength to strength.”

Roger Hartshorn, pictured, right, with Martin Thurley, began his career as a tooling apprentice at HL Plastics in 1977; eleven years on and he was leading a management buyout with his partner, Mike Bosworth, adding Tarpey Harris Precision Toolmakers to the group one year later.

The Eurocell brand name was launched in 1991, followed by its first window system three years later before total ownership of the group was acquired by Tessenderlo Group in 2003.

Two years later, Roger and Mike formed Flamstead Holdings and bought back HL Plastics and Tarpey Harris, launching the Liniar window system in 2008. The Flamstead Group was acquired by American NYSE-listed firm Quanex in 2015, with Roger remaining in place as Group CEO.

Roger Hartshorn concluded, saying o his own future: “I certainly won’t be retiring; I still have industrial property interests, Tarpey Harris and the newly formed Garner Aluminium Extrusions Ltd. I look forward to spending more time developing and focusing on these businesses along with perhaps a few extra holidays.”