Brothers take the reins from father at X-ray protection equipment manufacturer
Three brothers have taken the reins from their father at Willenhall-based Raybloc, the manufacturer of X-ray protection equipment, after he announced his retirement.
Brothers Lewis, Clarke and Kristian have become equal shareholders in the family business which their father, Sean Haydon, and grandfather, Leonard, started in 2000.
The trio, who have all worked at the firm since leaving school, have stepped up to take responsibility for the 20plus members of staff and 8,000 sq ft premises in Willenhall.
Eldest brother Lewis said: “The business has come on leaps and bounds since our dad and granddad first started up more than 20 years ago and I’m excited to see it grow even more in the next 20 years.”
Sean and Leonard setup Raybloc, which is based on Bilston Road, after working in the industry as x-ray engineers for 30 plus years.
“My dad was ambitious and after working in the industry for a while he saw a gap in the market for something better. Alongside my grandad, he set up a mini production line in the garage in our family house and began making radiation x-ray screens for hospitals.
“It soon took off and they moved into a proper unit and started to employ staff,” he added. “I went to work for them when I finished school and I’ve been working there ever since – through the good times and the tough times, specifically the financial crisis.”
The business now creates total radiation shielding solutions for hospitals, private practices, dentists, vets, industrial, commercial, nuclear and the military.
Lewis, recalls that the business has had its rough times throughout the past two decades.
“During the 2008 recession, one of our biggest clients was the NHS and they had a huge reduction in spend and that hit us hard.
“We were introduced to a local business coach, Andy Hemming of ActionCOACH Black Country, who made us realise we needed to change our actions and take ownership for our success if we were ever going to make it happen.
“The business went from a yearly turnover of £800,000 to £1.5m within the first three years of coaching. And since I became a business owner, we have now taken that to £3.5m in the past few years.”
The firm recently announced plans to demolish its current workshop and disused plant buildings to create a new bigger production unit as part of a company expansion plan which will create ten full-time jobs.
