Ability Tec saves Remploy site
REMPLOY’S Bolton factory has been taken on by a new social enterprise that hopes to employ up to 30 people.
It was closed by the Government in August with the loss of 48 jobs along with 26 other Remploy factories staffed by people with disabilities.
Ability Tec, set up by entrepreneur Oli Randell, has taken on the assets to manufacture high grade printed circuit board. It has 12 mostly disabled staff and plans to employ 30 within three years.
The company is operating from the former Remploy site but will move to new premises in January.
Mr Randall said: “The new company will operate on similar lines to John Lewis, with employees sharing the profits and reinvesting funds to create new jobs and new product lines. We have our first orders confirmed to get us off the ground but we need new customers who want to work with a business that makes quality products with a social benefit.”
He added: “We have been working closely with Remploy at the national level and we have presented them with a robust and lean business plan that allows us to operate without subsidy, make a small profit and then grow sustainably. Our job now is to seek new customers, pitching ourselves as a high quality supplier that happens to create social benefits for disabled employees. We believe that in a market where there is little to choose between suppliers we stand out for all the right reasons.
“Our principal customer supplies energy saving devices to the social housing sector and we will be working closely with them to show to local authorities and social landlords that they can save their tenants money, reduce carbon emissions and provide secure employment to disabled workers who faced a difficult future after the closure of Remploy. Within Greater Manchester alone there are enough socially owned properties, to provide work to employ more than 30 disabled workers if they were fitted with the energy saving devices we make.”
The factory will be managed day to day by former Remploy employees, with a board of directors overseen by independent trustees including Dr Brian Sloan, chief economist of Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce.
