Small but very impressive

Apr 23 2008 by Sion Barry, Western Mail

THE finalists in the Welsh Small Welsh Company of the Year category can been unveiled today. They are Cardiff-based property development company, Loosemore Homes, Machynlleth-based renewable energy company Dulas and Neath-based corporate training and development venture Call of the Wild.

All three impressed the judges with their focus on growth and innovation in their particular fields.

The award is one of nine categories in the Western Mail Business Awards for Wales 2008, which will be staged at a ceremony at Cardiff International Arena on May 23 and presented by television presenter Bill Turnbull. Other categories in the awards, in association with the University of Glamorgan’s Business School, include Welsh Company of the Year Business Achiever. To book a table at the awards dinner contact Emma Brennan on 029 2058 3819 or email emma.brennan@mediawales.

NAME: DULAS LTD

Location: Machynlleth

Sector: Renewable Energy

Number of employees: 47

What does the company do?

With over 25 years of technical engineering expertise, Dulas offers professional services for renewable energy in Wales, the UK and internationally.

Services include: Low carbon buildings consultancy; policy and resource assessments; specification and implementation of wind, solar, hydro and biomass projects; project management.

What are your aspirations for the business in the next five years?

We anticipate that in five years’ time we will still be at the forefront of renewable energy services both in Wales, and throughout the UK. Our employees work hard at maintaining Dulas’ position as one of the most technically accomplished and highly respected companies in the industry.

What percentage of your business is conducted in Wales?

To date, the highest percentage of Dulas’ business is derived outside of Wales. In fact we currently export 40% of our turnover; the majority of this is vaccine and blood banking refrigerator systems to Africa, as part of major humanitarian aid and development programmes.

The low carbon buildings programme offers a fantastic opportunity for Dulas to work closer to home. As a framework supplier Dulas can now offer 50% grant funding for public building installations.

Do the owners of the business have an exit strategy or aspirations to float the company?

Dulas is unique in this respect, in that the workers are the owners! There is only the need to improve the quality of life, and provide security of employment, rather than succession planning or flotation. This provides a clear focus, and avoids unnecessary power struggles at board level.

Do you believe small businesses in Wales receive adequate public sector support?

We are delighted with the support that is provided from the WAG initiative KB4B.

Contact between Dulas and the different WAG agencies is now managed by an experienced business manager. Access to funding support, tier 1 consultants and political decision makers has improved significantly since we were brought on to the programme in 2006.

Our understanding is that lessons are being learnt from the Knowledge Bank experience, and that account managers take a more proactive role in understanding their clients’ business aspirations and plans.

NAME: CALL OF THE WILD

Location: Neath

Sector: Organisation, team and individual performance development. Key employee and management training.

Number of employees: 25

Annual turnover / profits: £950,000 turnover.

What does the company do?

Facilitate positive behavioural change for high performance in the workplace providing a return on investment. Leadership, team development, corporate events and management training for organisations, teams and key employees. With a less chalk and talk philosophy we offer blended learning including ILM accredited courses, online, experiential and action learning.

What are your aspirations for the business in the next five years?

For Call of the Wild to be one of the pre-eminent management training and people development companies in the UK becoming synonymous with improving performance through positive behavioural change in the workplace. This would be achieved through organic growth and acquisition.

What percentage of your business is conducted in Wales?

90%

Do the owners of the business have an exit strategy or aspirations to float the company?

Flotation is not within our 10 year business plan. We have no formal exit strategy in place but consider that grooming from within would be the desired way forward.

Do you believe small businesses in Wales receive adequate public sector support?

We believe that small businesses can access a considerable amount of support from specialists in the public sector. Certainly over the last few years things have improved with the public sector offering support that business need rather than what they think business need.

NAME: LOOSEMORE HOME

Location: Cardiff

Sector: Property development

Number of employees: Three

Annual turnover / profits: 2008 £3,603,950/£1,076,000

What does the company do?

Residential property development

What are your aspirations for the business in the next five years?

Bring more projects to people who believe in our concept of bespoke, design-led development.

What percentage of your business is conducted in Wales?

80%

Do the owners of the business have an exit strategy or aspirations to float the company?

We don’t see any short/medium-term benefit to flotation

Do you believe small businesses in Wales receive adequate public sector support?

The public sector provide ample support in an advisory capacity but not in a direct financial sense.