Centerprise activates Welsh plant

Centerprise activates Welsh plant

Centerprise International's production facility in Wales, which will create 300 new jobs, is finally up and running, almost two years later than scheduled.

In February 2003 the system builder and distributor was awarded a Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) grant from the Welsh Assembly to assist with the development of a production facility at a 17-acre site at Duffryn Meadows in Caerphilly.

Centerprise invested £5m to acquire and fit out the building, and said an additional £6.5m would be invested in a further phase of the project.

A National Assembly for Wales representative said: "Although we awarded the grant to Centerprise in early 2003, it accepted only in April 2004. The first part of the grant was tied into the acquisition of land and buildings and the initial fit-out costs.

"Last month Centerprise informed us that production would start during May, with recruitment of new staff commencing immediately."

Centerprise's founder and managing director, Rafi Razzak, said production began on 3 May.

"The existing shell building needed extensive work to bring it up to specification and make it suitable for the production environment, so some initial delays were experienced at the start of the project," he said.

"The RSA grant received is the first part of a long-term development plan that Centerprise has embarked upon in Wales.

"This was paid to contribute towards the capital costs of the new site, building and infrastructure.

"The site is now open and Centerprise has created a new sales office for Wales. It has also opened its first production line, so jobs have already been created, and are continuing to be created as work is assigned to the Welsh production facility."