Video transcript: Our Help to Grow programme helps Leeds stainless steel specialist target major expansion
Transcript for the video embedded on the Support for small businesses page.
[The Help to Grow management course logo appears on the screen]
[Music]
[Steve Brooke, Managing Director of Anglo Stainless Ltd, stands outside his business premises]
[Staff at Anglo Stainless Ltd walk through their warehouse picking out fittings]
Steve: I’m Steve Brooke, MD at Anglo Stainless Ltd. We’re a stockholding in pipleline fitting and components, predominantly for oil and gas or food and beverage chemicals, from pipes to elbows and the fittings and tees to the flanges for joining.
[Staff at Anglo Stainless Ltd are shown using machinery and computers]
The business was formed in 1987 by my father and his business partner. My eldest brother joined relatively quickly and they grew the business quite successfully. My father retired and we bought his business partner out.
I came to the business around 2000 and basically learnt the business from the ground up. I felt that we had a lot of potential and I decided to take it forwards on my own and bought my two brothers out.
[Music]
[Steve is shown walking through the warehouse chatting to staff who are operating machines]
The Help to Grow course came across my desk, I think on a LinkedIn post. I looked at it and Leeds University Business School came up. They have a great reputation.
When I read through the course guide, it seemed like it would allow me to have a proper review, top to bottom and identify where our strengths were, where our weaknesses were, where we needed support and make sure that we’re on the right pathway.
[A laptop with a Zoom call on the screen is shown]
The delivery of the programme was really good. It was a two-hour Zoom call with a designated speaker from an expert in that field. After the Zoom, you’d come away and really apply it to your business.
[Leeds University Business School is shown, followed by a group of business leaders in a group session]
Then you’d have a follow up peer group session with a small group of other business leaders and discuss what people were struggling with, talk about how you’d applied it and how they’d applied it. And then having a one-on-one mentor who you could speak to and sense check what your take away from it was.
I felt that format worked really well. You could fit it in amongst other busy duties. It wasn’t overly academic. It was really tailored to be applicable with case studies about the direct things that every business goes through.
[Music]
[Staff at Anglo Stainless Ltd are shown using machinery and computers]
If you’re really wanting to grow, I would recommend going on the scheme. It will give you an opportunity to really look at your business, to focus on the areas where you are weak to improve them, whilst maintaining the areas where you are strong.
It allowed me to write a detailed business plan about what we had, what we needed and where we needed to go.
We’ve seen some significant growth over the last 12 months of about 30%. Our plan is to double that in the next three years and go into new products, new markets. Although it looks quite daunting at the minute, we feel it’s realistic and we should be able to deliver on it.
Because of the Help to Grow scheme, I’m confident in where we are and where we’re going.
[Music]
[Steve walks through the warehouse smiling]
[The Help to Grow management course logo appears on the screen with the words for more information visit business.leeds.ac.uk/help-to-grow]