Bespoke furniture manufacturer NEJ Stevenson is planning to expand its premises to meet a growing demand for its services.
The 40-strong company which counts the Royal Household, English Heritage and National Trust among its list of high-profile clients has been helped since 2015 by the Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub through a combination of accessing finance, planning and skills.
Plans have been approved for a single-storey extension with a roof terrace at the front of NEJ Stevenson’s site at Church Lawford Business Centre in Limestone Hall Lane, Church Lawford, Rugby, to create a new reception area and a new meeting room.
Neil Stevenson, founder, said: “We moved here in 1999 and we built one extension to accommodate more CNC machinery and that is when we first had dealings with the Growth Hub.
“We discovered we were eligible for a 50 per cent match-funded grant and it wasn’t difficult to fill in the forms because those involved were helpful and made it as easy as possible.
“We also received funding through the Coventry and Warwickshire Green Programme for solar panels, air source heat pumps and changing our lights to LED when we extended the factory. It’s fair to say the Growth Hub has been a massive source of help since 2015.”
Craig Humphrey, CEO at CW Growth Hub which celebrates its tenth anniversary next year, said he was delighted the business support organisation had been able to play its part in helping NEJ Stevenson achieve its growth plans.
He said: “There are a wide range of businesses in different sectors throughout Coventry and Warwickshire who have the ambition and capacity to grow and we are here to help them put their plans into action.
“NEJ Stevenson is a perfect illustration of that because the grants over the years have ensured they have accelerated their ability to expand and broken down any barriers.
“The ecosystem should be set up to target businesses that have growth potential and provide any support that is needed, and that is why the Growth Hub is so vital.”
Adam Plumb, Account Manager at the Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub who covers Rugby, said the demand for NEJ Stevenson’s work was on-going.
“It is fantastic that three more employees have recently joined the team to work on their projects which are all really interesting and highly-skilled,” he said.
“The plans to expand their premises will create a new-look reception and meeting room and we wish the team all the best in continuing their commitment to excellence and innovation.”
