Carmarthenshire-based manufacturing company Victorian Sliders is being tipped to become a “world-class business” following a new £4-million investment by BGF – one of the largest and most experienced investors in the UK and Ireland.
The Ammanford-headquartered company is now poised for a period of accelerated growth after BGF, which invested £14-million in the business two years ago, provided an additional round of funding alongside HSBC to support its growth plans.
Victorian Sliders Group Managing Director Steve Winslet (centre) is pictured with (from left) Finance Director Mark Shather, Production Director Jason Powell, Strategic Development Director Nick Evans and Commercial Improvement Manager Sue Davies.
Group Managing Director Steve Winslet said:
“Over the last 18 months, we’ve made significant strides in quality, reliability, lead times and customer service.
“We are determined to maintain that progress and turn Victorian Sliders into a world-class manufacturing company.
“We are incredibly excited to be entering a new era with the continued support of BGF’s investment team.”
As a result of the £4-million injection of funding, Scot Starkey will pursue other ventures and will no longer be involved in the business.
“We want to thank Scot Starkey for his years of investment and dedication to the business and wish him all the best for his future ventures,” Steve added.
“With an experienced new leadership team in place, our focus is on implementing a customer-centric strategy that puts the installers, housebuilders, local authorities and housing associations we work with first.”
Steve Winslet has been joined by an experienced team to help build on Victorian Sliders’ market-leading proposition.
Mark Shather joins as Finance Director, with decades of experience in multiple sectors, including window manufacturing.
Strategic Development Director Nick Evans has significant funding and operational experience in private equity-backed businesses across global markets and manufacturing.
Together with Jason Powell, who has worked alongside Steve since August 2022 leading production, they will combine to deliver the team’s customer-centric growth agenda.
The BGF investment was led by Edwin Davies and Hannah Waters.
Edwin Davies, Investor at BGF who also joined the Victorian Sliders board following BGF’s initial £14-million investment in August 2021, said:
“As a long-term investor, we are proud to have supported Victorian Sliders in accelerating its growth journey over the last three years.
“We have seen Victorian Sliders go from strength to strength and we are confident that with the additional £4-million of BGF investment, combined with the new leadership team’s experience and expertise, the business’s impressive growth trajectory will continue to gather further momentum.
“Steve is right to set his sights sky-high and under his astute leadership, we are confident that Victorian Sliders will become a world-class manufacturer for Wales to be proud of.”
Legal advisers on the transaction were Geraint Tilsley, of Cardiff law firm Lewis Silkin, for BGF, and Andrew Hoad and Kate Wilson, of Hugh James, which is also based in the capital city, for Victorian Sliders.
In the coming months, Victorian Sliders will seek to drive product development, key strategic partnerships, and expand into new markets.
The imminent appointment of a new sales and marketing director to spearhead this customer-centric strategy will complete the new team.
