A European grant is set to open the doors to rapid growth for an expanding Atherstone manufacturer.
Profab Access ltd, which makes a range of metal panels, riser doors, steel doors and loft hatches that allow access to services within buildings, has been awarded a European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) grant of £20,775.
The firm, which has provided panels to the Shard, the Cheese Grater and the Walkie Talkie in London, has put the grant towards a metal folding machine to enhance its manufacturing capacity to fit in with its ambitious growth plans.
Profab was supported in its efforts by Helena Bassett, a business adviser at the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, and now hopes to double turnover over the next four to five years.
Peter Burns, the president of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, visited the company and was impressed by the ambition, quality and skills on show.
He said: “Profab is a great example of what this region and – indeed – this country needs.
“It is a company that has a great set of products, an excellent skill-base and a willingness to invest in its people and technology to help it grow in the short, medium and long-term.
“I was absolutely delighted to get a glimpse of what they do and to hear about the fantastic projects the company has worked on.”
Karen Birch, a director at Profab Access Ltd, said the company – which has grown to 49 employees – is expanding its export markets, with Qatar proving to be a fruitful area for business.
She said: “We are grateful to Helena for making us aware of this grant and supporting us in accessing the money. The new machine means we now have three folding machines which means we can work faster and more efficiently and, ultimately, continue our growth.
“We want to double our turnover and that means continuing to grow here in the UK and overseas. We are undertaking a great deal of work in Qatar currently, but we are also in Canada, Australia, the USA and Ireland to name a few.
“Furthering our exports is an area where we feel we can achieve stronger growth for the business.”
Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership board director and leader of Warwickshire County Council, paid tribute to Profab.
She said: “The growth of companies such as Profab is vital for the economy of Coventry and Warwickshire and they are certainly a wonderful example to others.
“The Local Enterprise Partnership continues to work hard to help create the best possible conditions for growth in this area but it is the drive and ambition of firms such as Profab that will actually take the economy forward.”
