Thanks to funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), allocated by Herefordshire Council, local manufacturer Halco Europe Ltd is set to reconfigure their workspace, expanding their operations and generating local employment opportunities.
Work underway to expand local manufacturer
Halco Europe Ltd are manufacturers and suppliers of hook and loop fastening systems (similar to Velcro) based near to the Hereford Enterprise Zone. The business was established in 2002 and employs a total of 25 people plus directors, supplying over 30 countries across Europe, the Americas and Asia in markets including the automotive and medical sectors.
The company plans to bring more of their production process in house to enable them to improve quality control and customer service. They aim to achieve this by transferring some existing processes from Asia to the UK which in turn will enable them to secure new European contracts and bring employment opportunities to the region, including three new jobs which have already been created.
Work underway to expand local manufacturer
The company has recently taken on a lease on the adjacent building to help provide additional warehousing and a grant of £52,000 from the ERDF is allowing them to reconfigure their existing premises, including:
The creation of a new production area, including a new mezzanine to create one distinct production area on the ground floor and additional storage above for production materials
Improvements to their dispatch area, including a lab and an operations office
A new area on the first floor to create a larger canteen space and additional offices for staff as well as a large conference room.
Glenn Haughton, Director of Halco Europe Ltd, said:
“We greatly appreciate the support we have received from Herefordshire Council in securing this necessary funding. We moved to Hereford as a small family business with just 5 staff in 2007 from West London. 11 years on, we are a team of more than 30 and are thankful to say have experienced significant growth year on year. Our investment into Herefordshire has been well worthwhile and with the backing from this Grant, Halco Europe Ltd expects a bright future.”
Roger Allonby, Head of Economic Development at Herefordshire Council, added:
“We are thrilled that this work is underway, which will support Halco Europe to continue their growth and create these new jobs. Several local businesses have benefitted from ERDF funding, and although the current total amount is nearly fully committed, we are bidding for more funds and are hopeful that the scheme can continue for a further three years. We would therefore encourage local businesses who are interested to contact us without delay and find out how ERDF funding can help them.”
If you are interested in applying for funding please contact 01432 260662. Any businesses and community groups can explore the range of funding and grant options available in the county at www.herefordshire.gov.uk/funding
For more information on Halco Europe, please visit www.halcoeurope.com
