County Enterprises has joined the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE) as an Industrial Associate (IA) member.
Founded by Worcestershire County Council in 1978 with the objective of providing meaningful supported employment for people with learning and physical disabilities, County Enterprises manufactures, fabricates and sells stainless steel flue pipe products. It also offers packaging and assembly services to generate income to fund the support programme.
County has a current customer-base of over 45 companies, ranging from end-users through to large distributors and stove manufacturers.
James Rose, operational manager at County Enterprises, said: “We are delighted to have joined the CIPHE as an Industrial Associate member for 2020, as forging closer connections with the plumbing and heating industry is essential for the future development of our organisation.
“To date, we have had great success working with local Worcestershire businesses to manufacture and supply stainless steel flue pipe products. This is where the majority of our funding comes from, enabling us to employ and support those living with disabilities. We are already working with a number of the Institute’s other IA members too, which is proving hugely beneficial for everyone involved.
“Going forward, our aim is to become a purely charitable organisation, so to achieve this we need to grow the packaging and assembly side of our service offer, as well maintaining our metal fabrication workshop business.
“Current packaging customers include Neoperl, Reliance and Hotun, with several other CIPHE IA members in conversation about exciting new projects. Packing contracts also cater for markets outside the plumbing and heating sector, for example Heller Machine Tools and Helping Hands, manufacturers of CNC machines and disability aids respectively.
“The more we can develop in this area, the more opportunities we can hope to create for people with disabilities and those in the local community seeking a platform from which to launch into sustainable employment. This is definitely an area in which we have a desire and ambition to grow. Our hope is to achieve this, at least in part, by connecting and networking with other IA members of the CIPHE with a need for packaging and manufacturing support.”