DRAPER VENTILATION has opened the doors to a new Agri-Tech Innovation Centre at Dorset Innovation Park.
The new headquarters form part of an ambitious drive to grow the company’s turnover to more than £20m by 2025.
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It safeguards 18 jobs, with a further 20 roles expected to be created alongside an apprentice scheme that the firm will develop with local colleges.
The draperVENT hub is a 1,720m2 facility costing close to £2m and will provide space for manufacture, education, training, research, product testing and demonstrations.
It was part-funded with a £740,000 loan from Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), with Draper making up the total.
‘Delighted’
Paul Draper, founding director of draperGROUP, said: “After much planning and construction work, we are delighted to open our Agri-tech Innovation Centre.
“We are especially excited to have a workplace where our 32 staff can meet face to face and utilise the space and equipment incorporated into this centre.”
“Dorset is the perfect place to take draperVENT to the next level because of the drive and determination to see agri-tech businesses succeed in the region.
Enterprize Zone
“The Dorset Innovation Park plot provides us with an opportunity to develop, test, promote, store, and distribute our products while we benefit from reduced business rates thanks to it holding Enterprise Zone status.”
Sara Uzzell, Dorset LEP deputy chair, added: “Dorset’s agri-tech sector is worth over £108m and has been identified as a high growth sector in Dorset’s Local Industrial Strategy.
“The facilities at the Agri-tech Innovation Centre will place draperVENT at the forefront of ventilation innovation.”
