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Leading Braille print firm sets sights on rapid growth

1 Jun 2008

2^nd June 2008

From Left to Right: Brian Buckland, Venture Wales and Sharon Williams, Pia Print

Leading Braille print firm sets sights on rapid growth

A pioneering Cwmbran-based Braille printing specialist has installed a new printing press which it predicts will help increase turnover to nearly half a million pounds by the end of the year.

Since Pia installed the first Index 4 Waves Pro Braille embosser in the UK, increased demand for Braille printed material from customers including government and public bodies, banks, building societies and trade unions has already seen a rise in turnover. Managing Director Sharon Williams confidently projects a 20% increase in profitable turnover to £500K over the next six months.

Pia profits are being reinvested in expanding the production room at their 2,000 sq ft Victoria Street facility to cope with the bulging order book. The company has already added to its 10 employees with a new member of staff to manage increased print loads.

Established in 1985, Pia diversified its main business from print to Braille over 18 years ago thanks to a contract from BBC Radio 4 which led to the development of the firm’s own Braille translation software. One of the company’s most important projects was establishing a facility within the Home Office to enable the speedy translation and printing of documents for former cabinet minister David Blunkett.

Pia directors approached pan-Wales business support service Venture Wales for advice in order to tap into the growth market of outsourced contracts from printers without the capability to produce materials for the visually impaired.

Sharon explained, “Venture Wales has a strong track record helping businesses start up and expand into new markets which meant they came into our facility and took the time to understand our needs and ambitions. Our mentor, Brian Buckland, helped us set out a project plan with defined goals and targets relating to an increase in production.

“Thanks to his help we secured an inward investment AIG grant of £10K from the Welsh Assembly Government which supplemented a total spend of £21k on our new machine.”

She continued, “This mentoring enabled us to supplement our existing six small machines with a brand new Braille embosser, increasing our production capacity five-fold. We now have the confidence to be able to pursue more lucrative contracts and consolidate and grow our position in the market. We also hope to be able to further develop our facility in the near future.”

Brian Buckland, senior mentor of Venture Wales said: “Pia is a pioneering company and an excellent example of a Welsh enterprise excelling in a niche market on a national scale.

”By assisting Sharon we were delighted to help take an already successful company to the next stage. Together we developed a business growth strategy which has already seen recruitment and an impressive increase in turnover and profit.

“We will continue to support Pia in their ambition to develop a facility the company can be proud of and that is already the envy of their competitors.”

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