Warwickshire-based
ProTec Group Ltd, a manufacturing project management consultancy that predominantly supports automotive-based projects with customers including Aston Martin, Rolls-Royce and Polestar, is creating up to six jobs after investing in new premises and new machinery.
Since it was founded in July 2019, the business has outgrown two office spaces in quick succession prompting a recent move from Trident Business Park in Leamington to Tachbrook Park. That significant project was supported after Steve Hendley, who co-owns the business with Lee Horton, approached the
Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub regarding financial assistance and he referred him to Coventry City Council’s Economic Development Service team.
ProTec was subsequently successful with an application for £50,000 from the Coventry and Warwickshire Business Support Programme, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund. A further £14,700 was also awarded, contributing towards the purchase of a new machining centre, dust extractor and bandsaw.
Mr Hendley said: “As a business we started in a serviced office and there was no room for any equipment or machinery in there. Over the last four years we have grown and now have more machining, 3-D printing and moulding capabilities in-house. When we set the business up, we went out with three strategies to achieve. Number one was not to fail, that was our biggest goal as a new company.
“The second was to give clients what they want by delivering the best quality products on time. Ultimately, number three was to employ people. You can’t do this on your own. We wanted to make sure we built a business and a team that will continue to grow. So, any support to grow the assets, to grow the business, to then employ people is very welcome.”
A workforce that started as a three-man team has since grown to 10 and ProTec has ambitions of growing that further during 2023 as it continues to deliver on its ‘your partner in production’ slogan.
Mr Hendley added: "All of the capital equipment we have acquired means we can employ people to use them, to run them, but equally become masters of our own destiny. We are not relying on another company who might have another client that is paying more or putting more work their way. We are able to stride out on our own and produce and manufacture our own goods.”
Reflecting on the support received by the Coventry and Warwickshire Business Support Programme, Mr Hendley continued: “Every day that I talk to somebody that is either a business owner or in senior management you often hear comments about a machine being broken or that they need funding. It is then when I ask ‘are you talking to the Growth Hub?’ I often give out their contact details and say these are the guys you need to talk to and find out what they can do to help you.
“While we are business owners now, we are not serial entrepreneurs, this is our first go at it. So we found the support immeasurably valuable and we pass that feedback on so everybody else can grow too.”
Adam Plumb, account manager at Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub, said: “ProTec has grown a huge amount in a short space of time and this has been reflected in its need to increase the size of the building where it carries out its business.”
“We are delighted to have helped the company with the move to Tachbrook Park, and also to purchase machinery that will help the business to grow further and employ more people. We are always available at the Growth Hub to not only make companies aware of grants that they are eligible to apply for but also to help with filling in the forms which can be daunting if businesses have not done it before.”
The Growth Hub is supported by funders including Coventry City Council, Warwickshire County Council and Warwickshire’s District and Borough Councils.