The new 50,000 sq ft purpose built facility has allowed Selden to make further investment in its carbon spar production including the extension of the filament-winding machine and the installation of a 20m autoclave.

Selden can now produce CNC controlled, fully optimised single piece carbon spars up to 20m, targeting the IRC and IMS yacht market.

The investments will also allow Selden to increase the production volume of dinghy carbon spars and spinnaker poles.

"The £4 million pound investment in this new manufacturing facility will enable us to continue to grow our market leadership position through the design, development and prompt delivery of race winning spars, " said managing director Zeb Elliott.

Further investment in the production of performance aluminium dinghy spars has also been made through the purchase of a plasma cutting machine that will allow Selden to achieve an even more accurate taper ensuring that every mast is 100% true to the designer's bend characteristics.

"Whilst the demand for our aluminium spars continues to grow the demand for carbon spars is even greater as sailors, designers and classes look to improve the performance and handling of their craft, " said sales director Ian "Chips" Howarth.

But Selden has decided to consolidate its brands, noting only that while "keelboat and dinghy spars have been shipped under the joint Selden/Proctor brand name, from now on all the products will be branded as Selden".

"We're aligning everything under the Selden name, " said Howarth. "The blue triangle will stay, but the name inside will be Selden."