Joe Seager
27 June 2018

Frank Maxwell, the president of Birmingham Progressive Synagogue (BPS), has won a Lifetime Achievement Award for turning a home-grown family business into a global enterprise.

He was chosen from 14 finalists at the prestigious Family Business of the Year Awards, which acknowledge significant contributions made by family firms to the British economy.

Frank pioneered the production of espresso machines in the UK – launching his company, Fracino, in 1963 after stripping down a coffee machine bought on a family holiday in Italy. He made his first machine his garden shed.

Forced to self-fund the company after a bank refused to lend him £300, Frank has since served up scorching cup-fulls of record-breaking results.

Fracino has achieved almost double-digit sales growth year-on-year since 2009 and exports to more than 70 countries world-wide. It is the UK’s sole manufacturer of cappuccino and espresso machines, a market traditionally led by Italian and Spanish companies.

Frank is chairman of the third generation family business which employs 70 people at its Birmingham factory. His son, Adrian, is managing director, and his daughter, Rebecca, is service support manager.

Frank, 82, said: “I am honoured and humbled to receive this coveted accolade. I am also immensely proud that the business I launched in a garden shed now provides one of the world’s most advanced and efficient facilities of its type”.

Fracino certainly flies the flag for British manufacturing skills and is a proud member of the Made in Britain club. The Union Jack is displayed on every machine that leaves the factory.

Clive Neuberg, chairman of BPS, said: “I know members will want to join in congratulating Frank on this enormous achievement. We are also aware of the massive part he plays in serving the needs of BPS in so many different ways. He can always be relied upon to provide support, often putting in more time and effort at any time help is required.

“We are extremely fortunate to have such a capable and fully-committed president”.
 
Picture: Frank Maxwell (left) receives his Lifetime Achievement Award from Paul Andrews, founder and MD of Family Business United