A security firm, a fencing and environmental barrier provider, and a family-run scrap metal recycling and skip hire company are just some of the diverse businesses across Gwent which are benefiting from the Welsh Government business support service, Business Wales.

Funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government, the service supports entrepreneurs and existing business owners in running and growing a business, and acts as an access point to additional services from the public, private and third sectors.

As well as general business advice, Business Wales also provides specialist support on equality and HR issues, international trade and long-term business mentoring. It also advises on tendering for contracts, environmental issues and conducting business online.

Abergavenny-based Select Security Limited has cemented itself as one of the market leaders in providing state-of-the-art security systems to the rural sector.

Since being established in 2010 by Leon Window, 31, the business has enjoyed year-on-year growth, increasing its turnover from £140,000 in its first year to half a million pounds at the start of this year.

The company is currently installing around 30 systems each month across the UK. Many of these use Select Security Limited’s 100 per cent wireless power free perimeter security system, which enables property owners to view and check on their premises from anywhere in the world and even speak to any intruders, remotely, via a PA system that is installed.

Earlier this year, Select Security opened a new branch in Denbigh, north Wales, creating six new jobs, thanks to support from Business Wales and a £50,000 grant from the Wales Economic Growth Fund.

Mr Window now aims to further the business’s rapid expansion by establishing a franchise that will see as many as 17 offices open across the UK over the next four years. He is getting on-going support from Business Wales to help him fulfil his growth plans.

Mr Window said: “I have been truly impressed with the assistance provided to me by Business Wales. I took advantage of all strands of the support it offers, including business development advice that helped me focus my ideas into a growth strategy.

“Business Wales also guided me through the process of recruiting the right staff and helped me review our health and safety policies and procedures, as well as providing recommendations for improvement.”

Mr Window set up the business after spotting a gap in the market for providing security systems for farms and rural businesses with large amounts of expensive equipment and machinery on site that could be a target for thieves.

Its most lucrative contract to date was a £30,000 project at Arab Press House, Camden, while its most high-profile contract was an anti-terrorism measure for British Transport Police when licence plate cameras were installed at train stations including Leeds, Charring Cross and Piccadilly.

The Fencing Partnership Limited installs commercial and industrial fencing, gates and environmental barriers at locations across the UK.

Clients include Wales and West Utilities Ltd and Network Rail, as well as a number of local authorities, government agencies, utility operators and national retailers.

The company has 10 staff based at its head office in Monmouth, with additional offices in Hertfordshire and Portsmouth, and project staff on site across Wales and the rest of the UK, taking the number of employees to 40.

The Fencing Partnership Limited has been growing with a current turnover of approximately £4.5m this year, and had support from Business Wales to further this expansion.

The company was set up in 2002 by managing director Graham Green, who runs it with his wife, Caroline.

Caroline Green said: “Business Wales provided us with invaluable expertise on funding options available to accelerate our growth. This included Innovation Vouchers, a form of funding from the Welsh Government which helped us launch a new app that will make a huge difference to the business.”

The app will enable its on-site staff to transmit information instantly back to its offices so that projects can be assessed and carried out much more efficiently and quickly, without the need for paperwork.

The business has also benefited from employment law advice from Business Wales, allowing it to keep on top of changing legislation, while advisors have registered it with the Jobs Growth Wales and Workforce Development Programme, as well as referring it to its innovation and construction sector teams.

Family-run business D & E Scrap Metal provides a professional ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metal recycling and skip hire service across Newport and surrounding areas.

The business employs five people at its yard on Adelaide Street and set up by David Eagle in 2011. It is now run by his son and managing director Arran Eagle, Arran’s aunt Tania, his sister Charlotte and step-brother Nathan Pearce.

Thanks to support from Business Wales, D & E Scrap Metal has been able to implement an enviromental management system as well as meet legislative requirements such as the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013. With support from its advisor, the business upgraded its drainage system, storage, premises and site processes and, as a result, was accredited with BS8555 environmental best practice.

It has also benefited from resource and efficiency and ICT diagnostic support to help it identify new opportunities to aid its growth plans.

Arran Eagle said: “We are indebted to Business Wales for their continued support, which has enabled us to demonstrate to our customers that we take our environmental responsibities extremely seriously.

“Our business advisor has been very helpful, advising us on how to get our systems up to scratch and supporting us in achieving Seren Scheme phase two, which is the British environmental standard for scrap yard operators. This is extremely important as some businesses will only appoint scrap metal operators that have have this accreditation which gives us a competitive advantage.”

D & E Scrap Metal’s clients include Encon Insulation and supermarkets like Morrisons, Asda and Tesco, while it has also completed projects on the new Admiral building on Queensway and Newport Bus Station.

It’s largest contract to date involved removing around 40 tonnes of scrap metal from Sainsburys’ premises in Crindau as part of a re-fit, and managing health and safety operations on site.

Phil Summers, the Business Wales advisor who supported Select Security and the Fencing Partnership, said: “In my role at Business Wales I come across a variety of different businesses that require support and it’s great to work with companies that have real aspirations to become successful which helps the economy by creating local jobs.

“They are examples of businesses that are taking advantage of some of the different strands of support we offer – from general business advice, through to specialist services such as equality and diversity, export advice and tendering and environmental support.

“It is always a pleasure to meet Welsh businesses with such potential for high growth and to offer support in helping them achieve this.”