A Welsh exhibitions company with ambitious growth plans has received investment support from UK Steel Enterprise.
 
JDJ Exhibitions, launched ten years ago by Damien Jones , has expanded rapidly and is looking to grow further through acquisition.
 
The group employs 41 staff and has a turnover of £5 million – the business plan predicts a turnover of £10 million in three years and a workforce of 75.
 
JDJ recently relocated to Clydach Vale from Llantrisant in a £300,000 move, and already this is bearing fruit. “The move has greatly increased our efficiency and enabled us to make huge savings,” said Mr Jones. “It means that we can store and retrieve material more easily, and has greatly improved our design and production facilities.”
 
A loan of £70,000 was provided by Tata Steel subsidiary UK Steel Enterprise to support the move, and to underpin further expansion. UKSE Investment Glyn Thomas commented:”JDJ is an ambitious and forward-thinking company aiming to grow and develop. We are delighted to be able to support them, and to help create local jobs in due course.”
 
JDJ works across the UK and throughout Europe, staging major events for a range of clients including blue chips such as Johnson and Johnson, Eaton Industries, Sony, Vodaphone, BOC, Remploy, Heli One and others.
 
The group is headquartered in Wales, and has bases in Basingstoke and Dorchester.  Growth has taken place through strategic acquisitions, the most recent of which was a print company, giving the group full in-house printing facilities for its customers.
 
A full design service is available to build the highest quality displays for a range of budgets. “Customers rightly have high levels of expectation at events in which they are showcasing themselves, and we have demonstrated that we are able to deliver this,” added Mr Jones.
 
“In the next three years we are aiming to increase turnover from the present £5 million to £10 million, and increase the workforce from 41 to around 75, with the bulk of these new jobs in Wales,” added Mr Jones.
 
“Our aim is to move forward principally through making acquisitions which will complement the group, and we are grateful to UK Steel Enterprise for their backing.”