Welcome to Exploria
Exploria was founded in 2002 by myself; Graeme Hirst and created through my own need for custom leisure vehicles that no other company could offer at the time. My involvement in vans was an extension of my lifestyle and my participation in various sports, which is still evident today; whether it is using a vehicle to go windsurfing, mountain biking, snowboarding, motor biking and boating and that often means camping in the vehicle too. Our vehicles are not just limited to leisure but are also used for work, as a daily drive and for the more mundane household jobs such as collecting logs and shopping! This is why I understand the needs of many of our customers to have a vehicle that is practical, functional, comfortable and yet still stylish.
The company started on a small scale in a relatively small workshop, with limited overheads and pressure, which enabled the trial of different concepts and builds – 'done different from the norm.' The focus has always been on Volkswagen Transporters and still is today; although we occasionally deviate now and again when interesting and exciting new projects arise – take a look at our
Over the 12+ years of trading we have grown significantly and now operate from a large dedicated workshop, showrooms and offices to offer you the widest choice and pleasurable experience, with the knowledge that you are in good safe hands. We have built up a range of great contacts and suppliers within the industry and this enables us to offer you some of the best products in the market-place. We are able to ensure products are available for our customers, at the right price, when and where they are needed.
regardless of the products or conversion you require. Most importantly, during this period, we have created a very knowledgeable, skilful, passionate team that is at the core of everything we do. It is this team that is vital to the conversions we produce. I believe this has been the key to our success and certainly attributed to the rapid growth of the company. Like me, my staff have a passion for the work they do. The majority of them all own transporters and all have first-hand experience and knowledge of what works and doesn't. They also use them as daily drives and are always out and about camping in their spare time.
Unlike many new converters that have entered (and left!) the market due to the rising popularity and demand 'whilst the going's good'..... we are confident that we will still be here in another 12 years.
When looking at styling products, you will find that there are different materials used and more importantly, differences in the overall fit, finish and price.
– Is expensive to set up the initial moulds and usually requires large quantity production / high end price due to production costs and investment. The end result can be a great finish requiring little prep before painting and little clips and fixings can be moulded in easily. The main down side of using plastic is that it can shatter, especially in cold weather and if damaged, it is much more difficult to repair than GRP.
– Usually a lower cost product, due to the way it is manufactured and these manufacturing costs being on a small scale. The end finish can be as good as or better than the ABS plastic, and on the flip side it can be very poor if manufactured badly like many of the cheap products available on the net at very low prices. GRP is very strong and will flex to a point even when cold, and is easy to repair which can be good in some instances.
Fitment and finish of the product is everything in our opinion,
especially if you want it to look like it has just rolled off the production line. Even the best made products can look bad if fitted with little thought or incorrectly mounted. We have had years of experience to get products to fit right using various techniques and methods to ensure that factory look.
