A European grant is set to open the doors to rapid growth for an expanding Atherstone manufacturer.
Profab Access, 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.
“Profab is a great example of what this region and – indeed – this country needs,” he said.
“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.
Karen Birch, a director at Profab Access, 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: “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.”
