Tata subsidiary UK Steel Enterprise has revealed excellent results for investment into Welsh SME businesses in 2013/2014, including many in Gwent.

Approved investments came in at £664,000 for the year in companies across a wide spectrum of activities.

These ranged from food producers to exporters of heavy industrial equipment, helping to drive growth and create and safeguard jobs in Wales.

Working collaboratively with other financial institutions in Wales, UKSE provides debt and equity packages for companies with growth potential.

Hobbs Valve, of Caerphilly, benefitted from a £100,000 investment from UKSE as part of a larger package, which is helping the company’s ambitious export drive in the oil, gas and petrochemical industries in the Middle East, US, South America and the Far East.

Hobbs is aiming to build turnover from the present £6m to £15m and increase the workforce from 36 to 60 in three years.

At the smaller end of the business spectrum, former steelworker Stephen Hobbs was assisted with a small loan to develop his log wood burner installation business, Stephen Hobbs Fire and Flue.

Celtic Recycling, of Newport, received a £100,000 investment aimed at helping to build its growing business recycling heavy electrical equipment from all around the world.

Investment executive in Wales Glyn Thomas said: "We enjoyed a very good year in 2013/14 making a series of strategic investments in Welsh businesses. Our brief as an organisation is to stimulate the economy and support growth and the creation of sustainable jobs.

“The range of the companies we backed shows how diverse the modern Welsh economy has become, and how important it is to support companies speedily when opportunities arise.”

In addition to making investments in Welsh businesses, UKSE provides flexible accommodation for office-based businesses and light industry.

Cardiff Bay Business Centre and Ebbw Vale Innovation Centre are both owned and run by the Tata subsidiary. Both are home to a cross-section of businesses, who benefit from ‘easy-in easy-out’ terms.

Ebbw Vale Innovation Centre doubled its size in 2009 and is home to local and inward investment businesses employing several hundred workers.

Area manager in Wales Andy Morris said: "We offer the full package of investment and accommodation to businesses and take a long term view to our relationship with them. This means we are able to offer ongoing support with a minimum of fuss to help our clients take advantage of opportunities.

“We are very proud of our record in Wales. Next year will be our 40th since the organisation was formed we have invested £23,242,000 in 1,383 Welsh companies and this has helped in the creation of just under 25,000 jobs.”