Abstract: A former for supporting a layer of settable plastics material while it sets into hollow reinforcing ribs bonded to a laid up article of fibre reinforced plastics material during manufacture of said article, comprising a foraminous sheet (5) wherein the region of the sheet between each pair of neighbouring holes (6) is elevated above the plane in which the rims of the holes are disposed by means of one or more upstanding formations (7) joined to one another by a flexible web (10). The upstanding formations have rigidifying patterns (11) formed thereon. An article produced using the former is also disclosed.