Winner of Best Use of Digital Technology Award sponsored by The Cambrian News and The Brecon & Radnor Express
A fast growing Machynlleth vehicle telematics company was on track to win another accolade at the Powys Business Award.
A year after being named the best small business in Powys, Plant-i Ltd collected the Best Use of Digital Technology Award, sponsored by The Cambrian News and The Brecon & Radnor Express, at the awards dinner held at Hafren, Newtown on Friday.
“This is the fourth time in five years that we have been a winner at the Powys Business Awards and every year the category that we win seems to perfectly fit what the company does,” said managing director Sam Browne.
“When we first entered we were a business start-up selling to anybody. Now we are much more focused on where we are going, have developed a strong team and this award shows that we are going in the right direction. This is only the beginning of our adventure into mobile vehicle telematics.”
Plant-i has grown its workforce to 18 and plans to create three more jobs after doubling the size of its premises by moving across Dyfi Eco Park into the 5,300 square foot Unit 3. Turnover, which was £750,000 two years ago, is expected to reach £3 million by the end of the current financial year.
The company continues to strengthen its position as market leader in the fleet, telematics and data management sector thanks to new innovations that are continuously developed.
More than £350,000 has been invested into the research and development of a new database and website portal. This enables the company to deliver bespoke applications very quickly, to offer data management solutions to manage risks on commercial fleets, to plot and map high risk areas as well as a tool to monitor rainfall, water levels and temperatures via a remote application.
The technology developed by Plant-i will even provide real time video footage and 3D animation of a crash scene to assist the insurance assessors.
The Powys Based company is now targeting new markets, having been asked to produce bespoke devices to detect temperature variances during the transportation of vaccine in Africa and to use in a hydrogen cell fuelled car.
Mr Browne has a vision of the company becoming a household name and the leading Welsh remote data management centre, selling solutions globally. He is very optimistic about future growth due to the company’s market leading products, clear focus on customer service and research and new product development, which keeps it ahead of competitors.
The award judges said: “We were very impressed by the continued growth and development of Plant-i and the involvement of the whole organisation in the success of the business. The development and use of their technology into new areas outside of their core business marked an exciting time for the company.”
The other category finalists were The Burger Manufacturing Company, Builth Wells and MWT Cymru, Machynlleth.
