A Coventry weighing company is tipping the balance in its favour for further success after a grant helped with its growth plans.
Coventry Scale Company, which has been based in the city since 1975, provides industrial and commercial weighing equipment for a wide range of sectors including automotive, logistics, pharmaceutical and food production, for customers across the Midlands and the UK, as well as in Europe, the Middle East, the Far East, and East Africa.
The team moved from a 2,400 sq ft premises on Barker Butts Lane in Coundon to a purpose-built 4,300 sq ft unit in Spitfire Close, Coventry Business Park, earlier this year. The new premises has a larger workshop and warehouse, additional office space, plus a product demonstration and training room.
The Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) Growth Hub put the company’s directors, Tom Marren and Neil Keegan, in touch with Coventry City Council and they successfully received a grant of £11,700 from the Investment Fund. This is part of the Coventry and Warwickshire Business Support Programme which is funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
The grant has been used to help towards the funding of new office furniture, workshop equipment, plus IT and security systems.
Tom Marren, Managing Director at Coventry Scale Company, said receiving the grant was a welcome addition to the company’s investment in the move.
He commented: “Back in 2015 we changed our business model to focus on industrial weighing which has resulted in year-on-year growth for our company and the need to move to a more fit for purpose business unit. We’ve invested heavily in our move to larger premises, so the funding support from the Growth Hub and Coventry City Council was very much appreciated and helped bolster the amount of capital we’ve been able to spend on new equipment.
“The move has also given us the space to grow our team, and we’ve recently recruited an additional service and calibration engineer, and a business and sales administration assistant.
“This is the start of a new chapter for Coventry Scale Company, and with the added support from the Growth Hub, we’ve been able to create a working environment that provides a strong foundation for our team and business to grow and develop over the coming years.”
Gary Thyeson, Account Manager at the CWLEP Growth Hub, said Coventry Scale Company’s success was emphasised by the fact it has nearly doubled the size of its workspace following its move.
He said: “Tom, Neil, and the rest of the team are innovators in their field, and their expertise is testament to their use of the latest technology as well as their drive to export their goods all over the world.
“Just like the Growth Hub, they provide a tailored and personalised service, and we are here to help businesses of all sizes and in all sectors with their growth to boost the economy here in Coventry and Warwickshire.”
Cllr Jim O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change at Coventry City Council, said: “I’m really pleased that the grant support made a positive difference and helped Coventry Scale Company to create two new jobs. That’s exactly what the investment fund is for – to support local businesses to ensure they can grow and to create and protect jobs for local people.
“Like many small businesses in the city, Coventry Scale Company is driving new innovation in its field. I wish them every success for the future.”
Caption: From the left, Cllr Jim O’Boyle (Coventry City Council), Tom Marren (Coventry Scale Company), Kierandeep Bal (Coventry City Council) and Gary Thyeson (CWLEP Growth Hub)