Worcestershire family business gets rolling with bank support

27th January 2015

A Worcestershire-based business which specialises in plastic rotational moulding is set to increase capacity and target new markets after receiving support from Clydesdale Bank to invest in new equipment.

JSC Rotational Ltd produces hollow plastic products which are then manufactured into components or completed items for a range of industries including automotive, leisure and hygiene. Projects range from small contracts, where only 10 items will be produced, to large-scale projects for household names including Jaguar Land Rover and Sega.

JSC Rotational Ltd was established by husband and wife team Mark and Karen Drinkwater in 2003 and is based on a farm in the village of Inkberrow, Worcestershire. Clydesdale Bank recently provided funding to support the purchase and installation of a CNC Robotic Arm. The addition of the new robotic arm will automate part of the finishing process which will lead to enhanced speed, consistency and quality.

The deal was delivered by Stewart Linnane, Relationship Manager at Clydesdale Bank’s Business and Private Banking Centre in Gloucester. The business received additional investment from the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership.

JSC Rotational Ltd is one of a small number of businesses in the UK working in this field and has a strong reputation for technical expertise. The business was awarded ISO 9001 in 2008, for organisations that have implemented quality management system requirements, and ISO 14001 in 2012, for firms who monitor and improve their environmental impact.

Karen Drinkwater, Director of JSC Rotational Ltd, said: “The installation of the robotic arm will move our business to the next level, helping us target new markets and projects. We like to open ourselves up to as many industries possible, which was a great benefit to us during the recession, when businesses similar to ours faced closure because their customer base was too narrow.”

Mark Drinkwater, Managing Director of JSC Rotational Ltd, has a background as a polymer engineer whilst Karen has experience in supply chain and logistics. Karen believes their different skill sets complement each other well and contribute to the firm’s excellent reputation for technical knowledge.

Karen added: “I believe the growth of our business has been supported by the fact we are a family business. We share the same ambitions and understand one another very well. Many husbands and wives wouldn’t dream of living and working together, but it works perfectly for us.

“The support we’ve had from Clydesdale Bank has given us access to new business opportunities we might not have had otherwise. The team at the Bank understand our ambitions and are enthusiastic about doing whatever they can to help us reach them.”

Rob Spearman, Head of Clydesdale Bank’s Business and Private Banking Centre in Gloucester, said: “We are extremely happy to support the growth of a business that is highly regarded both locally and within the sector. The funding will help JSC Rotational Ltd innovate and provide additional services to current clients whilst helping the business connect with new customers.

“As economic conditions continue to improve, Clydesdale Bank remains focused on supporting the growth ambitions of businesses such as these.”

Karen Lumley, MP for Redditch, visited the business to see the new installation at work. She added: “It’s great to see the progress JSC Rotational has made in recent years under Karen and Mark’s stewardship. They are yet another example of a business doing well in the Redditch constituency.

“There’s never been a better time to set up and run your own business in our area. Businesses are feeling more confident than ever before and over 1,100 new businesses have started since 2010. These bring a huge number of jobs to our area which is why we have seen unemployment fall by over 60% and youth unemployment by over 70%, on the subject of which it was also good to get the opportunity to meet one of JSC’s apprentices during my visit.”