From shop floor to Managing Director: Industrial doors firm boss tells of a journey through company ranks.

"The range of support from the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme shows just how helpful this programme is for entrepreneurs and business leaders."

It sounds like an apocryphal tale from the business world – the apprentice who starts on the shop floor before eventually becoming managing director.

But that is precisely what happened at Newport-based Industrial Door Services (IDS), where Floyd Manship took charge of the company after working his way up through the ranks to take over the leadership of the business when its founder stood down.

Established in 1987, IDS started manufacturing basic industrial roller shutter doors. In the following years, with investment in product development, the firm developed a more comprehensive range of products. The company then introduced more doors to suit various applications and environments.

IDS has been supported through Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme (AGP). The AGP provides targeted support for ambitious growing firms. The programme is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government.

 Floyd Manship explains how the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme has supported the company's growth and shares his story - from apprentice to managing director.

Tell us about IDS
When I knocked on the door of Industrial Door Services 24 years ago to speak to the then-managing director and ask about an apprenticeship, I never dreamed that one day I'd own the business and make it even bigger and more profitable! But, with that one knock, I set myself on a course to eventually own a company producing industrial doors for clients such as Rolls Royce, HM Prisons, Royal Air Force, and BBC Securicor, to name a few.

We make and service high-quality products, and we've achieved our goal of becoming a sector leader. Everyone here at IDS is proud of our array of UKAS Management Systems accreditations- ISO 9001 (Quality Management), ISO 14001 (Environmental) ISO 45001 (Occupational Health and Safety).

I'd describe myself as a "boy from the streets in Bettws, Newport"! I quickly came up through the business and have worked in almost every area. My natural qualities as a problem solver and my work ethic led to the owner asking me one day if I'd like to buy the business.

At stake at the time were the skilled jobs of my workmates, as another interested party wanted to buy the brand and close down the manufacturing operation. We now employ 35 people. The workforce is also more diverse.  

I'm the first to admit I had no business management skills, especially in financial management. However, support from the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme has helped me develop as a manager and professionalise the business. 

We have a high duty of care to our employees and are committed to ensuring work-life balance. I am passionate about upskilling the workforce and have invested more than £40,000 in helping staff achieve new qualifications. I'm particularly pleased that more established team members have actively participated in learning. We've been very forward-thinking in succession planning and have apprentices in many departments across the business.

IDS has a bright future ahead, and without wanting to sound like a broken record, we're so proud of our history too.

What are your proudest moments in business so far?
Something I think gives me lots of satisfaction, is how we've diversified our workforce and brought more women into the business. As a result, the culture of the company has changed. And we're also giving youngsters the opportunity for a promising career. Something else we've managed to do is win back lost contracts because I ensured that the business listened to customers and improved as a result.

The number of people in the company following accredited skills training has increased, and that improvement in our staff's skillset has given me a real sense of pride. It's great to see professional development happening across the business.

What challenges have you faced in business?Firstly, I think my lack of business skills, especially in finance, was a challenge. But I was a quick learner – I had to be! – and was open to advice and learning. Other challenges were learning to balance sales with the capacity of the business to produce and provide service. A sales-driven strategy created stress on the workforce and created a lot of problems. So that's been a learning curve as a business leader.

During the pandemic, we ran a rota system to ensure service was continued along with limited manufacturing.

If you were starting again, what would you do differently?
As I mentioned, I would not have pushed sales so hard until I sorted some of the fundamentals throughout the business.

I also think I would have invested in externally accredited training earlier.

How has support from Business Wales AGP helped your business?
The Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme has given me some beneficial support, particularly with my growth as a business leader. I'd never led a business before, so that was invaluable support.

We've also received support with management and organisational development, manufacturing effectiveness, sales and marketing. The sheer range of support from the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme shows how helpful this programme is for entrepreneurs and business leaders.

What advice and guidance would you give other businesses starting out?

• Modernise a traditional business with technology

• Don't run ahead of your capacity to deliver good products and service, as it risks damaging your reputation

• Don't be afraid to say no to opportunities that you can't deliver on or make money from

• Get feedback from your customers, especially when they are not happy

• Learn from your mistakes

To learn more about IDS, visit here.
 

Further information on the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme

 

"The range of support from the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme shows just how helpful this programme is for entrepreneurs and business leaders."

The Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme is a pan-Wales programme part funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government.

Education poster specialist sets growth sights on the US market.

“Support from the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme has been vital for our business.”

There are many elements which go into creating a vibrant learning environment. Surrounding school pupils with visual aids for their study is one of the pieces in the educational jigsaw puzzle.

Daydream Education is a Bridgend-based company specialising in this vital aspect of the modern classroom. The firm designs posters used by teachers worldwide to help pupils understand key topics. In addition, the firm keeps abreast of technological change, providing online material to work in harmony with the physical products it designs and produces.

Daydream Education has been supported through Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme (AGP). The AGP provides targeted support for ambitious, growing firms. The programme is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government.

Here, Chris Malcolm of Daydream Education explains the philosophy of the business, how the Accelerated Growth Programme has supported its growth and provides insight into its work.

Tell us about Daydream Education
Education is at the heart of what we’re about here, as the name suggests! We’re an educational resources publisher and an established leader in our field. Our range covers 25 subjects, and we offer over 1,000 titles in our catalogue. Essentially, the business provides posters for schools and educational settings in English-speaking countries worldwide. These posters aid learners and their teachers and are essential to creating a positive classroom learning environment.

We’re based in Bridgend, and we’re a family business. My mother, Kate, founded the company more than 25 years ago. Mum was a maths teacher, so she knew just how important visual aids are to learners’ experience as they move through the education system. I’ve been running the business from the early days of its existence. We now employ 15 people and work with various educational consultants, teachers and students to create excellent learning materials.

I’d say we’re an agile and responsive business because we’re constantly changing and reflecting trends in learning and the technology surrounding education. I think that’s been one of the secrets to our success. We keep on top of the changes and respond to the constant evolution in the education sector. This has made us a sector leader. Yes, our specialism is in posters, but the business and our product offerings have changed.

So, what does that mean? For example, our wall posters are now integrated with our apps, so they are linked to cutting-edge technology through QR codes, which take learners to a range of interactive materials. And while our core products remain focused on the core curriculum, we’re innovative too, coming up with new content, such as our recently developed material around mental health.

Our biggest market is the USA, and we’re just about to launch a series of posters and apps on American history. There’s nothing else like this available on the market, and we expect them to become best sellers. As well as English-language education posters, we’ve also produced content in Welsh for the Welsh Government and in Gaelic for Stòrlann, a charity set up by the Scottish Government to deal with the provision of Gaelic educational resources.

What are your proudest moments in business so far?
Being here today is our proudest moment! We have a bright future ahead of us. We’re an established leader in our field, with our sights set on further growth, particularly in the USA. So, we are excited about our prospects and proud of how far we’ve come since my mother established the company a couple of decades ago.

What challenges have you faced in business?
The 2008 recession caused by the banking collapse significantly impacted us. The policy of austerity which followed meant that schools had less to spend on materials like ours, which included high-cost interactive whiteboard software. However, we showed our adaptability by returning to our traditional products.

Covid was another massive threat to our business. Once schools were shut down, customers stopped buying. This was a considerable challenge as schools had to change their teaching methods radically. We had to furlough everyone initially and then bring some staff back on reduced hours. We survived because we pivoted quickly to take our Pocket Poster range of revision guides directly to consumers via channels like Amazon. Parents juggling working from home with education supervision were now more involved in education than ever before and found our colourful, educationally approved material helpful. The US market recovered quickly, and with support from the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme, we’ve gained real traction in that market. The USA market is a very exciting opportunity for us, and we also have great plans for the UK market.

If you were starting again, what would you do differently?
We have always sought solutions to problems as they arose, as no one can anticipate every hurdle you will encounter in the business. Being agile and developing our products has enabled us to stay relevant, buy time and emerge stronger after external market setbacks.

How has support from Business Wales AGP helped your business?
The Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme has been vital for our business. Their expert advice in business strategy, marketing, IT, exporting and operational efficiency has helped us scale up and given us a strong foundation for our next growth phase.

I’d encourage any ambitious, growing business in Wales to seek support from programmes such as the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme. It can be highly effective in supporting your company’s growth and development.

What advice and guidance would you give other businesses starting out?

• Don’t hesitate to ask for help from programmes like the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme.

• Keep your finger on the pulse of your sector at all times.

• Keep researching your market to stay in touch with customers and their evolving needs.

• Master relevant technology in products and marketing.

To learn more about Daydream Education, visit here.

Further information on the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme


 

The Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme is a pan-Wales programme part funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government.

The innovative water storage firm offering solutions to the crises of the future.

“Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme has supported us to overcome our growth challenges - from hiring to manufacturing.”

One of the most significant challenges created by climate change is water scarcity. And as we saw during the European drought of 2022, this is a pressing problem facing nations worldwide. However, one innovative firm based in Pontyclun in south Wales has devised a technology to help with global water shortages.

Deploy Tech has developed ready-to-use water tank technology manufactured with a concrete-filled fabric. A wide range of sectors can use the products to meet pressing water needs. The potential for deploying this technology in humanitarian crises was illustrated when Deploy Tech sent its products to Turkey to ensure people could access clean drinking water in the aftermath of the recent earthquake.

Deploy Tech has been supported through Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme (AGP). The AGP provides targeted support for ambitious, growing firms. The programme is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government.
 

Here, Paul Mendieta, the co-founder and CEO of Deploy Tech, shares the company’s story and explains how vital support from the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme has been in its growth.

Tell us about Deploy Tech
Before I explore the more technical detail of what we do, I’ll start with a little about myself and how I founded this business with Beren Kayali, our chief technical officer. I have a 50-year family legacy in the water management sector. I started working with a concrete material manufacturer called Concrete Canvas, where the idea of creating a water storage unit with their products was born.

Then, Beren joined me to help develop a manufacturing line. We were classmates in a MA from the Royal College of Art and an MSc in Innovation Design Engineering at Imperial College London. This was back in 2020, and since then, we’ve raised more than £1.1m of funding, including private investment, grants and start-up competition prizes. It took us almost three years to develop the product. We are now a team of eight people with a product ready for launch. We’re now gearing up to transition from research and development to sales. 

To explain what we do, we’re making water storage faster, easier and more convenient. The storage tanks we’ve developed can be used in the agricultural sector, including livestock and arable farming, by garden centres and elsewhere, for more efficient management of water resources. This is key if we are to meet the challenges posed by climate change here in the UK and worldwide.

Deploy is an air-deployed, ready-to-use water tank manufactured with a concrete-filled fabric. Each Deploy tank has a capacity of 14,000 litres. Its transportability means it’s easy to ship the product anywhere worldwide, something not previously possible for concrete-based products.

By replacing conventional concrete tanks, the resulting carbon footprint reduction could be more than 70% in materials and more than 90% in transportation. These are not simple improvements; these are game-changing benefits that will positively impact the concrete infrastructure industry and the planet.

What are your proudest moments in business so far?
It was a proud moment when we recently announced our donation of three tanks for earthquake survivors, asking engineers and builders to help us on-site with the installation. Our social media video reached 28.1 million views in two days. Now we are deploying several water tanks for drinking water and sanitation. It shows how valuable our products can be in humanitarian crises as well as in agriculture and other industry.

What challenges have you faced in business
We decided to start the company in the middle of the pandemic. Thanks to our collaboration with Concrete Canvas and prize money from university and start-up competitions, we were able to develop our technology at a very low cost. Once our technology achieved a readiness level five – meaning it was ready to pilot – we applied for grants and private investment. We were highly successful, with some investment funds battling for who would take the most equity. The biggest challenge we faced was developing a production line as well as the product at the same time. This delayed development and increased our cost of production since everything had to be built from scratch. 

If you were starting again, what would you do differently?
This is a difficult question since everything that has gone wrong has been essential for our development as a company. But we underestimated the effort and experience needed to build a team. Especially the first hires, which are so crucial.

Also, we would have engaged with our end users sooner to learn what they needed from our product.

How has support from Business Wales AGP helped your business?
We received the SmartCymru grant, which helped us take our product from technology readiness level five to seven, which is the demonstration stage. The Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme has always supported us in addressing our growth challenges - from hiring to manufacturing. The programme’s support has been vital to our growth.

What advice and guidance would you give other businesses starting out?

• You always need to have a plan B and a plan C.

• If you outsource or bring in consultants, assign that project to a team member to manage and follow up.

• Set a budget and stick with it.

• If you are an SME, suppliers, consultancy companies, or contractors might not take you seriously. So make sure you convey your passion, purpose and future work you will be able to offer them.

To learn more about Deploy Tech, visit here.

Further information on the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme

 

The Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme is a pan-Wales programme part funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government.