Movable wall systems manufacturer expected to turnover £2m in first year of trading as Development Bank of Wales announces investment

The Development Bank of Wales has confirmed a £200,000 investment in Dafen based DRL Partitions Limited (DRL), a new manufacturing business specialising in movable wall systems.

Established by Managing Director Dennis Lewis, DRL manufactures sliding folding walls, expanding walls, operable walls and glass partitions for the education, health, leisure, community and commercial markets. Opportunities in the Middle East and India mean that the business is already exporting around 10% of products with this figure set to grow to 40% within the next two years.

With a 20,000 square feet unit on Dafen Industrial Park, DRL employs 21 people with a further ten new jobs being created in sales and manufacturing within the next two years. Turnover is expected to exceed £2 million in the first year of trading.

Managing Director Dennis Lewis said: “With over 30 years experience in this sector, I have been keen to start my own business for some time. The UK and global market for high quality movable wall systems is very exciting and presents some great opportunities for us to quickly make our mark as a manufacturer of quality products.

“However, it’s very difficult to get any good ideas or business opportunities off the ground without financial help especially as funding for manufacturing start-ups is so notoriously hard to secure. The support from the development bank is therefore much appreciated; we simply wouldn’t have been able to finance the capital needed to launch the business and take on staff without their funding. What’s more, our repayments have been structured to help us manage cashflow.”

Richard Easton is an Portfolio Executive with the Development Bank of Wales. He said: “Manufacturing a comprehensive range of movable wall and doorsystems, DRL is quickly establishing itself as a provider of high quality, value driven and speedy space management solutions.

“With significant export potential, the business is generating strong sales and the prospects are looking very encouraging. The foundation is firmly set for DRL to become a leading employer in the Llanelli area; creating new well-paid jobs where employment opportunities can be limited. We look forward to building on our relationship with Dennis as we support the team with their growth plans.”