WELSH ASSEMBLY FUNDING HELPS WILCARE WALES TO GROW

A Bridgend-based company that makes rehabilitative products for disabled people has been able to move to larger premises and create more jobs thanks to advice from independent chartered accountancy firm, Broomfield & Alexander, and funding from the Welsh Assembly Government. Wilcare Wales Limited has recently received an Assembly Investment Grant (AIG) of £50,000 to help it relocate its factory from Tonyrefail to Bridgend, fund new equipment and appoint five new members of staff.

The main product that Wilcare Wales manufactures is an electrically controlled chair that can be reclined or raised using the low voltage hand unit installed within it. It helps users to stand upright or sit down and can be used in a number of situations including rehabilitation, care and nursing homes and is of particular use to people with leg and back problems.

Marcus Wilkinson, managing director of Wilcare Wales said: “The funding that we have received from the Welsh Assembly Government has been an enormous help to the company. Not only has it helped us to relocate our premises but we have also been able to purchase more equipment and take on more staff. For a relatively small company such as Wilcare Wales, funding can make a vast difference.

“Broomfield & Alexander played a pivotal role in the whole process by making us aware that the funding was available and helping us to make the application. As with most small companies, we had been concentrating on running the business. We knew that funding was available but knowing how to access it was a different matter. Broomfield & Alexander worked very closely with us to fully understand our business and to identify what funding we were eligible for. We were expecting it to be a long drawn-out process but we were informed within less than a month that our application had been successful. It is a tremendous boost for the company and puts us in a very strong position for future growth.”

Seamus Gates, partner at Broomfield & Alexander, led the team that helped Wilcare Wales put together its funding application. He said: “Many companies assume that accessing funding is a very long and difficult process and sometimes it can be, which is off-putting for smaller companies. However, the Assembly Investment Grant has been streamlined to address this issue with a decision being made within 20 working days of receipt of application. With its introduction just over a year ago, the Welsh Assembly Government is clearly showing its support for the SMEs that are the backbone of the Welsh economy.”

Economic Development Minister, Andrew Davies said: “The Assembly Investment Grant is designed specifically to support SMEs in Wales, regardless of location or sector. Within its first year of operation it has already helped hundreds of companies to grow and prosper. It is essential that the Welsh Assembly Government supports home grown companies and helps them to achieve their full potential – the future of the Welsh economy depends.”

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