Entrepreneurs
GLOUCESTERSHIRE'S
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Neil Ricketts co-founder in 2010 of graphene business
David Attwood International Plywood
Versarien Cheltenham It was back in the early 2000s, when working for the firm Total Carbide, that Neill Ricketts came across technology for producing microporous metals developed by the University of Liverpool. He knew it was too good an idea to walk away from. In 2010, together with ex- colleagueWill Battrick, they
Innsworth, Gloucester Now one of the UK’s largest importers of plywood and panel products. In business for more than 35 years in an extremely competitive market. From a turnover of £14 million in 1998, the company exceeded £120 million in 2016 and has won numerous industry awards. Its last set of company accounts, filed for the year ending April 2018, shows a turnover of £155.9 million. “He can see it. He can smell it. He’s on it,” according to one of our judges talking about Mr Attwood. Based at Innsworth Technology Park, Gloucester l
founded Versarien, working out of a garage in Mr Rickett’s native Forest of Dean. The business grew quickly and by 2013 was an AIM-listed newcomer. Since then, Mr Ricketts has travelled to China with the former Prime minister on trade missions, signed more memorandums of understanding with wannabe business partners from China than you could care to mention, done deals in Japan and made inroads into the American market. A member of GFirst LEP, and despite running a now city-facing business, he has never lost his focus on the county. Still known to turn out for Drybrook Rugby.We’re not saying it is the first team, mind l
Peter Morris Howard Tenens Ltd Thrupp, Stroud. Founded in 1953, Howard Tenens has grown into one of the largest independently owned logistics companies in the UK. It describes its own beginnings as “humble”, but Peter Morris, 75, has overseen the growth of the now family firm – which also counts Daniel and Ben Morris among its directors - into what has been described as “an industry-leader in complex logistics… never been afraid to challenge convention or take on the unimaginable”. Its key principal is to deliver solutions for its clients. It prides itself on being easy to work, and cut red tape. The long-term relationships it has achieved are testament to that. The group recently restricted, hiving off its property and distribution divisions. In April this year the newly-formed Howard Tenens Logistics revealed it had generated a £36.4 million turnover for its first six months trading - £20 million for the transport and £16 million for the warehouse and storage. Group turnover rose to £94 million for the same period l 6
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