Thirteen Powys companies have been helped to expand or secure their future thanks to Growth Grants.
The firms are involved in a range of activities from house building to brewing and all received sums of between £1,000 and £25,000 from Powys County Council.
The investment has helped to create 12 new full time and three part time jobs, and to safeguard 19 full time and five part time roles.
The grants are part of almost £1.1 million secured by the council from the UK Government via the Shared Prosperity Fund.
The money, which can also be claimed by businesses looking to move to Powys, is still available under a second round of the scheme.
This round will remain open until the pot of £950,000 has been fully allocated. Applications are being considered on a first-come-first-served basis, subject to approval.
The 13 companies successful in round one were:
- Airflo Fishing Products, Brecon: helped to buy a used climate testing chamber for testing fishing products, like fly lines, instead of renting one.
- Andy’s Bread, Llanidloes: helped to buy a new fan oven so the business can produce more fresh sweet pastries and savoury products.
- Antur Brew Co (Van Dijk Brewing), Crickhowell: helped to buy four 1,000 litre fermentation tanks and to install a new brewery floor.
- As You See It Media, Llangattock: helped to buy LiveU equipment to use when live-streaming events to overcome issues with poor internet connectivity.
- CME Developments, Ystradgynlais: helped to buy containers and canopies to create covered workspaces, electric plant and machinery to add to its hire fleet and computer software.
- Custom Marine Developments (CMD), Abermule: helped to buy a design data management system for its team of computer-aided-design (CAD) engineers to use.
- Fedw Equestrian Centre, Trecastle: helped to buy new equipment, a website and training to diversify into becoming a laser tag venue, Laser Tag Wales.
- Gloversure, Welshpool: helped to buy computer equipment and servers for a new team of staff working on a sub-brand targeted at the construction sector.
- Montgomeryshire Homes, Welshpool: helped to buy GPS and computer equipment so it can carry out its own site surveys and draft its own site plans.
- Plas Dolguog, Machynlleth: helped to carry out refurbishment work to increase capacity to five bedrooms and create a safe storage area for outdoor pursuits equipment.
- Quality Pipe Supports, Newtown: helped to buy an automatic pressure feed blaster to free up time for more skilled tasks.
- Rural Foodies (Coco Pzazz), Llanidloes: helped to buy new equipment for heating and cooling chocolate to increase production capacity.
- Tuscan Foundry Products, Llanafan Fawr: helped to buy a new high lift access platform for carrying out guttering and pipe inspections.
Councillor David Selby, Powys County Council’s Cabinet Member for a More Prosperous Powys, said:
“I’m delighted that we were able to support this baker’s dozen of businesses from right across Powys during round one. This investment has helped to create 12 new full time and three part time jobs, and to safeguard 19 full time and five part time roles.
“We want to help businesses in the county, and those that want to move here, at all stages of development to sustain, grow and innovate, including through local networks, and are looking forward to helping many more in round two.”
Gareth Jones, Director of Sales and Product at Airflo Fishing Products said:
“We manufacture products that are used globally so we need to be able to test them in hot, moderate and cold conditions and whilst in fresh water or salt water in order to mimic the environment in which they will be used.”
Andrew Wright, Director of Andy’s Bread said:
“This new fan oven will allow us to bake many more products at the same time, and also to develop new items which will add value and resilience to the business.”
Lance Van Dijk, Director of Antur Brew Co said:
“These four extra fermentation tanks will immediately increase our current potential output of 500L per week to 2,500L per week. The increases in production will make large pack trade sales – keg sales to local pubs, bars and restaurants – a viable option.”
Tim Jones, Creative Director at As You See It Media, said:
“Our project aims to build in robustness through the purchase of a LiveU unit which combines multiple internet sources including mobile data, ethernet and Wi-Fi and streaming in a codec optimised for video transmission.”
Jack Miller, Managing Director of Custom Marine Developments, said:
“A design data management system allows for central collaborative working, without each engineer interfering with another’s files. This allows multiple engineers to work on the same project at the same time, providing opportunities to tender for larger projects.”
Sam Workman, Director of Fedw Equestrian Centre, said:
“We are proposing to use our current infrastructure to diversify into becoming a laser tag venue. It works well with our Welsh Government Green Growth Pledge with very little noise and extremely low environmental impact. We have also pledged to plant hardwood trees to offset our visitors’ carbon footprint as the business grows.”
Stephanie Windsor-Lewis, Partner at Plas Dolguog, said:
“Both projects – two extra bedrooms and the storage area – are to support and offer suitable accommodation for activity tourism. We are frequently asked by small groups of four or five, who are visiting the area to participate in outdoor pursuits, for our availability.”
Lori Whinn, Director of Rural Foodies (Coco Pzazz) said:
“The Growth Project involves the purchase of a new, high capacity Keychoc chocolate machine which will transform our production capabilities. It will enable us to produce an additional 800 chocolate bars during a regular working day.”
Paul Stenning, Partner at Tuscan Foundry Products said:
“We need to strengthen and differentiate our business in the market and now wish to expand our estimating/surveying capabilities with the purchase of a trailer-mounted high lift access platform to be able to provide eye level guttering and pipe surveys.”
The grant funding can be used to help fund capital schemes and one-off revenue projects but cannot be used to cover usual running costs.