Investing in Cornwall’s Marine Future

One business leading the way is C Toms & Son, a family-run boatyard in Polruan, South East Cornwall. After celebrating an incredible milestone of 100 years in operation, the company is now looking firmly to the future.

Through investment from the Good Growth Programme, C Toms & Son is undertaking a major upgrade to its facilities, creating a modern, sustainable boatyard that will secure the business for decades to come. The project includes:

• Modernising core workshops with upgrades to carpentry, welding, and engineering spaces, and the construction of a new dedicated aluminium welding workshop to meet growing demand for sustainable aluminium boat builds, which represent the future of boatbuilding thanks to aluminium’s lightweight properties and environmental benefits.
• Electrification and sustainability focus, replacing older diesel machinery with electric machines and adding a mobile vessel trolley to improve operational capacity while reducing fuel consumption and emissions.
• New workshops to improve efficiency and capacity.
• An upgraded boat transporter for safer, more effective operations.

The project also includes the creation of a new job role, the upskilling of four staff in welding, an engineering apprenticeship, and an NVQ qualification.

These improvements will allow the business to increase productivity, diversify into sustainable boatbuilding markets, and train the next generation of skilled boatbuilders. By maintaining and developing its workforce, C Toms & Sons can continue to attract talent and offer apprenticeships, keeping vital skills in Cornwall.

“You always want to grow into the future, and it’s hopefully kickstarted the business into another 100 years.”
— Paul Toms, Boatyard Manager

This investment ensures C Toms & Son remains a cornerstone of Cornwall’s marine industry, helping the region lead in innovation and sustainability while preserving a proud heritage.