Welsh Government’s Minister for Economy, Science and Transport Edwina Hart officially opened the new headquarters of fast-growing Mid Wales tracking company Plant-i Ltd on Thursday.
The technology developed by this award-winning company, which builds vehicle, asset and fleet tracking solutions, is designed for today’s ‘Connected’ world. The company has more than doubled the size of its premises by moving across Dyfi Eco Park in Machynlleth into the 5,300 square foot Unit 3 with support from the Welsh Government.
Employing a workforce of 20, Plant-i Ltd says the expansion will create 12 new jobs in software development, sales and support roles over the next year. The company, which has tripled turnover in two years, is also set to make a major announcement early in 2016 about a business development, which will create exciting new opportunities.
The company’s expansion was made possible with support from the Welsh Government who purchased Unit 3, which had been vacant for some time, to lease to Plant-i Ltd.
Mrs Hart was directly involved in the company’s move, as she met managing director Sam Browne and other Fast Growth 50 company bosses at a meeting organised by Mid Wales Manufacturing Group (MWMG) in Newtown earlier this year.
Mr Browne told the Minister of his company’s need for larger premises to accommodate its expansion plans and she immediately instructed her team to help.
“Between us we very quickly identified a vacant building that would allow Plant-i to grow and generate additional jobs,” said Mr Browne, who thanked Mrs Hart and MWMG for their support.
“The building’s extra facilities allow Plant-i to offer remote data and innovative solutions into new markets and expand our customer base. 2016 looks like being another very exciting year for the company as we continue to provide highly skilled jobs here in Machynlleth.”
Minister Mrs Hart said: “We are committed to working with companies to create business and job growth opportunities in Wales. Today’s office opening and the announcement that 12 new jobs will have been created as a direct result of this expansion clearly demonstrates this.
“Plant-i Ltd is a highly successful indigenous business with a track record of achieving and exceeding its job creation objectives. It identified a significant opportunity to grow the business and I am pleased that support from the Welsh Government in helping it to expand into larger premises has enabled this to happen.”
Winner of the Best Use of Digital Technology Award in this year’s Powys Business Awards – their fourth success in the awards in five years – Plant-i Ltd is an inspiring, home grown, success story of entrepreneurship, innovation and business growth.
The company, which had turnover of £750,000 two years ago, expects to break through the £3 million barrier by the end of the current financial year, in line with Mr Browne’s business plan projections.
Plant-i continues to strengthen its position as a market leader in the fleet, telematics and data management sector thanks to new innovations that are continuously developed.
More than £550,000 has been invested into the research and development of a new database and management portal. This enables the company to deliver bespoke remote data management applications very quickly.
The technology developed by Plant-i will, for example, provide real time video footage and 3D animation of a crash scene to assist the insurance assessor and fleet managers.
The company is now targeting new markets, having been asked to monitor temperature variances during the transportation of vaccine in Africa and the collection of data from hydrogen cell fuelled cars.
Aiming to introduce its technology into Europe in the next year, Plant-i works with a wide range of companies, from providing tracking solutions to a Scottish trawler business to developing an application for a London taxi company that operates electric vehicles.
Last year, Plant-i developed a bespoke black box tracking solution for Venture 2014, an endurance event for super powerboats travelling from London to Monte-Carlo. The company believes the VentureTrack technology has huge potential for use in long distance races of all types.
