2 BusinessArgus In brief...


forNewport ALOCALbusinessman has decided tomove on from his ground working firmtotakeonthe Newportand East Valleys franchise of Drain Doctor Plumbing Ltd, the UK’s largest combined plumb- ing and drainage business. FormerWelsh schoolboy


rugbyplayerRobin Thomas has been running his owncompany for 17 years,delivering ground worksand maintenance but has decided nowto concentrate on plumbing and drainage,with the back-up of anational organisation. The Newportfranchise


will provide emergency drainage and plumbing services to people throughout the East Valleys including Newport, Cwmbran and Abergavenny. Robin said: “I intend to expand the business sig- nificantly andmakethe franchise as big as possi- ble for the area.” Robin plans to startwith


one fully equipped van and then to expand the business in asustainable way, having twoorthree vans within twoyears.


Contactus...


Editorial Jo Barnes Special features editor


Tel: 01633 777240 email: jo.barnes@ gwent-wales.co.uk


Advertising Graham Harris Senior Field SalesExecutive


Tel: 01633 777135 email: graham.harris@ gwent-wales.co.uk


Samantha Taylor Media Consultant


Tel: 01633 777147 Email: Samantha.tay- lor@gwent-wales.co.uk


southwalesargus.co.uk/ business


Drain Doctor


By Jo Barnes 01633 777240 jba@gwent-wales.co.uk Twitter@SWABusiness


BASEPOINT Business Centres has just completed the freehold purchase of the Riverside CourtBusiness Centre,a21,800 sq ft business centre in Chepstow, for £1m. The centre is partofa pres- tigious mixed development in BeaufortPark, Chepstow, and was previously run by Office Space Business Centres.Ithas approximate- ly 21,800 sq ft of serviced office accommodation over three floors and is currently 60 per cent occupied. Brian Andrews,


Basepoint’sexecutive direc- tor,said:“We’re delighted to add Chepstowtoour expand- ing portfolio of business cen- tres across the South of England, East Anglia and the Midlands.Weare sure that our ethos of supporting small businesses and encour- aging growth will strengthen and enhance those licensees currently in the centre,and brings our wealth of knowl- edge in the sector to the Chepstowarea.” Basepoint Chepstow,


Riverside Courtoffers fully serviced office space on monthly terms,virtual offic- es and meeting rooms in a modern, purpose built facili- ty.Basepoint aims to build business communities that add value to the areas in which they’re located, rather than simply house small businesses under one roof. As well as telecoms systems, meeting space,amanaged reception and break out areas,all centres host events


Tuesday, September 17,2013 Great opportunity


RiversideCourt, Chepstow,which hasbeensoldfor £1m


to encourage and support SMEs.These include the ‘Networking Hub,’ afree business networking event open to licensees as well as local businesses,which aims to encourage the growth and development of SMEs and advise on current business issues. Basepoint nowoperates 30 business centres across the south of England and the


Midlands and is the main trading armofleadingUK grant-making charity The ACTFoundation. All of the profits that are generated by Basepoint’scentres are ploughed back into charita- ble causeswhich assist socie- ty’smost vulnerable. Basepoint Chepstowis located just offjunction 2of the M48, occupyingaunique position with excellent trans-


portcommunications and fabulous views of the Severn Estuary. Basepoint Chepstowisnow looking for alocal charity to support,which will include active involvement from the centre to help raise money and organise fundraising events. Darren Rogers,regional manager for Basepoint Chepstow, said: “Joining


forces with Basepoint Chepstowisafantastic oppor- tunity for alocal charity.We are particularly keen on work- ing with charities dealing with physical and mental disabili- ties,asthis is the main area the ACTFoundation concentrates its support.” Charitieswhich are interest-


ed should contact Darren Rogers on 01291 635500 or email Chepstow@basepoint.co.uk


Newexpansion delightfor Mabey Bridge


From page 1 Bridge said: “The type of work


the new Mabey Structures busi- ness will undertakeisvery much a continuation of the work the team did at Rowecord. Keyprojects pre- viously included CardiffCity Stadium and the Aquatics Centre at the London Olympics,sothe team are very experienced at land- markstructures.However,no Rowecord contracts have been ‘brought over’. This is very much a new business set-up starting from scratch, but of course the team will have acomprehensive contact book.” Mabey Bridge can trace its herit-


age back to 1849,when the original business in Chepstowwas estab- lished to help Isambard Kingdom Brunel build asteel bridge over the riverWye. The company employs more than


600 people in total, most of whom work at the company’sthree facili- ties in Chepstowand Lydney. However,Mabey Bridge is very


much aglobal playerand has staff at offices around the world. The company’score markets (prior to Mabey Structures) are bridge building, modular bridges, and renewable energy. The Newhouse plant is one of the UK’s largest manufacturers of wind tur- bine towers. The spokesman said: “The busi-


ness won’thaveany impact on the wind turbine business at all. The reality is that theNewhouse plant is very advanced and the office eas- ily has the capacity to house the new team. Projects delivered by the Mabey Structures team will feature components manufactured at all three of the Mabey Bridge plants,depending onwhat those components are.For example, tubular components will roll off theNewhouse line,while plate steel components will come out of the Chepstowsite.Undoubtedly the new Mabey Structures busi- ness will servetokeepall three Mabey Bridge sites even busier.”


Thenew Mabey Structuresteam (lefttoright) Richard Cherrington, projectman- ager,PaulBenwell,structurestechnical manager,Jason Churcher, sales directorof SteelStructures; Richard Thomas,chief weldingengineer


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