Company Profile

From the journal of the Welsh development Agency

It's 25 years since Paul lawson started CHS as a one-man enterpriuse with a ladder. Today the specialist cleaning company employs 40 people as it leads the development of bio-recovery services in Wales.

The Rhondda company specialises in the safe disposal of hazardous and decomposing materials, but needed help through the Welsh development Agency Specialist Support to access a top class marketing consultant of their choice in a bid to develope the business.

With partial funding through the scheme, the consultant was able to identify ways of expanding CHS's client base in South Wales and to encourage them to take up new business opportunities in other sectors.

"Without a doubt, the WDA has helped grow our business in a highly speciaist sector. Our client list now stretches from Newport to Swansea, and I think we're now recognised as market leaders." says company manager Darren Webber.

CHS is working with the WDA to ensure it's bio-recovery expertise is more widely understood. The immediate aim is to make greater inroads into the Cardiff market and to extend coverage as far west as Swansea and Carmarthen.

The initial brief was to expand into more geographical areas but as CHS moved into the field of sterilising the homes of drug abusers, it was felt there was a need to promote themselves in different markets.

"By any measure, bio-recovery is a difficult marketing challenge. It just doesn't have the profile. The consultant we were able to secure through WDA specialist support has helped us address this and make it easier to explain to customers why CHS is best-placed to help." added Darren.

In a bid to maintain its lead in the sector, CHS has secured the industry standard BS EN ISO 9000 2001 and is now seeking accreditation as part of the environmental Green Dragon scheme.

You can download a copy of the WDA article HERE in Adobe Acrobat format.