Since starting out in 2002 as a distribution company specifically for the motorsport industry, we’ve grown significantly. Today we manufacture a wide range of epoxy, polyurethane and novel tooling materials and ancillary products, and a range of specialist low-density subsea buoyancy materials.
Based in the UK, our tooling boards and buoyancy materials are used by customers globally.
Our UK and European distribution hubs offer fast access to our tooling boards and ancillary products, and our special projects team provide bespoke support for those custom projects.
Our Company Journey
STRATEGY & PARTNERSHIP
Composite Materials Limited (CML) established
Founded in 2002, Composite Materials Limited, also known as CML, is established in the UK, providing high-performance tooling materials primarily to the motorsport industry.
STRATEGY & PARTNERSHIP
CML production facility opens in UK
The first dedicated production facility opens in the UK, located in Whetstone, Leicester, manufacturing high-performance epoxy tooling board materials.
STRATEGY & PARTNERSHIP
Base Group Ltd established
Base Group Ltd is established in 2009 as the holding company for Base Materials Ltd.
STRATEGY & PARTNERSHIP
Base Group acquires CML
Base Group Ltd acquires Composite Manufacturing Limited, increasing our manufacturing capacity in the UK.
STRATEGY & PARTNERSHIP
CML rebrands as Base Materials
Composites Manufacturing Limited is rebranded to Base Materials Ltd to create a unifying brand as part of Base Group Ltd. This rebrand includes merging Base Patterns and Base Chemicals into the Bast Materials Ltd brand.
STRATEGY & PARTNERSHIP
Expansion of our facilities
Our R&D facility, located in the UK, expands to support new product development and continued growth. A dedicated warehouse facility also opens in Milan, Italy, to provide faster delivery times across Europe.
Innovation & Materials
The launch of high-temperature epoxy tooling boards
Our market-leading epoxy tooling board range expands to include newly engineered, specialist solutions for high-temperature applications up to +190 °C.
STRATEGY & PARTNERSHIP
New UK distribution centre opens
A dedicated distribution centre opens in Birmingham, UK, to enable same-day and next-day deliveries for UK customers.
Innovation & Materials
Launch of Polyurethane tooling board range
A new range of Polyurethane (PU) tooling board materials is developed and launched, including low, medium and high-density solutions for a wide range of industries.
STRATEGY & PARTNERSHIP
Expansion of our European network
A dedicated customer service team is created to support our growing European customers.
STRATEGY & PARTNERSHIP
Additional warehouse facilities open in Europe
An additional warehouse facility opens in Stuttgart, Germany, to increase product availability across Europe.
STRATEGY & PARTNERSHIP
Our Global Partner Network is created
Working as an extension of our team, our authorised partner network launches to include some of the most respected distributors in the industry, providing global distribution coverage.
STRATEGY & PARTNERSHIP
Diversification into subsea market
Our product portfolio is diversified to enable us to enter the subsea market with our range of high-performance syntactic materials, under the Subtec brand, specifically formulated for subsea buoyancy.
Innovation & Material
New UK buoyancy production facility opens
A dedicated 10,000 square foot production facility is strategically located opposite our existing warehouse facility in Birmingham, UK, to support buoyancy production and other special projects.
Innovation & Material
Service developments
A range of new services launches, including: Mass casting & near net shape tooling; Blocking-up; Cast-to-size service; Buoyancy repair & refurbishment service.
Sustainability Initiatives
Carbon reduction initiatives
Our sustainability journey starts. We continue to utilise bio-based carbon content in our product formulations, and we start to calculate our baseline carbon footprint, putting plans in place to reduce our impact on the environment.
Innovation & Material
Large-format 3D printing launches
Located at our facility in Birmingham, UK, our large-format 3D printing service offers a faster, smarter alternative to traditional tooling methods, cutting waste and reducing production timelines.
Carbon & Energy
Life Cycle Assessment Tool launches
Our LCA tool enables us to calculate the carbon footprint of our full product portfolio, supporting customers with robust, transparent environmental data as part of their own sustainability and supply chain reporting.