HR firm plans growth at EVIC

After 20 years as one of South Wales’ leading business centres, Ebbw Vale Innovation Centre (EVIC) continues to attract dynamic young companies creating jobs and prosperity.

A case in point is The HR Dept South Wales which recently moved into EVIC, and is delighted with the facilities and service it has received. The centre is owned and run by Tata Steel subsidiary UKSE.

The HR Dept was launched 5 years ago by highly experienced HR professional Lee Monroe. It employs 8 and has ambitions to grow, eventually aiming to increase to a staff of 30 advising Welsh businesses on HR issues and supporting recruitment.

Lee was a senior HR executive with Morrisons Supermarket for 16 years, including being on the launch team of the stores in Ebbw Vale and Bargoed. He and his colleagues at The HR Dept bring extensive experience to their work with SMEs across South Wales.

More and more companies are finding that outsourcing their HR function is efficient and cost-effective, he explained. “Businesses which fail to put in place appropriate HR policies and structures are creating huge potential problems for themselves,” he said. “We not only offer advice but also solutions to problems.”

Lee says that EVIC is proving the perfect home for the growing business. “The facilities here are excellent and the team here is fantastic. It was really easy to move in and to get our IT set up. I can’t think of anywhere else we would have had this level of service.”

In 2010 EVIC doubled in size when Tata Steel made a further substantial investment in the business centre, continuing to support the local economy, create quality jobs and play a part in regenerating the area.

Tenants benefit from the freedom of flexible arrangements, and have praised its features. These include 40,000 sq. ft of space in a mixture of offices and workshops, fully equipped meeting rooms, super-fast broadband, and a gym and sauna complex.

A strategic location, with good road and rail links, has been another important factor. The serviced reception welcomes guests, and EVIC is accessible 24- hours a day, enabling tenants to work when they need to. Security is high with CCTV surveillance, alarm systems and security key-holders.

Rob Barber, UKSE Area Manager in Wales, explained why EVIC had flourished. “The aim was to raise the standard of business accommodation in the area, and this is certainly something that has been achieved,” he said.

In addition, UKSE operates the recently refurbished, well-located Cardiff Bay Business Centre with its flexible range of accommodation.

For more information on UKSE business accommodation in Wales contact UKSE 02920 471122 or email wales@ukse.co.uk  or visit www.ukse.co.uk