Congratulations! Llongyfarchiadau!
Wood U Believe It
Manufacturing Business of the Year 2023
Why did you enter the Torfaen & Monmouthshire Business Awards?
We entered the Business Awards to acknowledge our journey so far and in the hope of achieving greater recognition for our success as a family run business. “Manufacturing Business of the year” has a lovely ring to it, and allows us to stand out from the rest, with our highly skilled team and top-quality products. We believe that being an award-winning company helps to build trust and encourages customers from further afield, allowing us to continue to expand our business.
What did winning mean for you or your business?
Winning the award adds credibility and prestige to our business. It’s filled us with confidence to “keep moving forward” with our ambitions and goals and reinforces that we are doing things right. Following on from the awards evening, we were contacted by our local Torfaen MP who asked if he could visit our workshop in Blaenavon. We were of course thrilled to have the opportunity to show him around our business and discuss our plans for the future.
What did you think of the awards ceremony?
We’re not usually ones for extravagant nights out, but what can we say? It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening from start to finish. The evening was extremely well organised, the food was delicious, and the drinks were flowing nicely too! Although it was a black-tie event, there was a very warm welcome and a lovely friendly and relaxed atmosphere.
What’s been a challenge for you or your business during the last year and how did you overcome it?
We’ve faced challenges, as I’m sure every business has at some point. Budgets in the education sector are having to be stretched further all the time. This of course means that existing and potential new clients are continuing to look for great value when shopping for resources. We feel very fortunate, that with our competitive pricing strategy and our top-quality products, we can continue to offer fantastic value for money.
What’s been a highlight for you or your business over the last year and why?
Winning Manufacturing Business of the Year really has been the highlight for us. As a small family run business, every success is shared with the whole team. We are all extremely proud of what we have achieved.
What are your goals for 2024?
To keep doing what we are doing. We aim to continue growing the business, extending our product range, and growing our customer base. We have an exciting new product range launching soon and we can’t wait to share our latest venture with our customers old and new. We strive to be the “go-to” company for outdoor educational resources.
What’s the best thing about running a business in Torfaen & Monmouthshire?
The best thing about having a business in this area is that we get to live, work, employ and supply locally. Whilst our services are offered right across the UK, nothing makes us prouder than seeing our products in so many schools and settings around South Wales. Our customers all comment on how important shopping locally is to them, especially since covid, and I’m sure they’ll continue to use smaller family run businesses moving forward. Our workshop and office are based in Blaenavon in Torfaen. Blaenavon is a lovely town with lots of heritage and history and it’s great to be a part of this local community.
