An innovative company that is perfectly placed to meet the needs of customers in the rapidly evolving electric car market drove off with an award at this year's Powys Business Awards.
Electric Classic Cars Limited from Newtown won the Technology & Innovation Award, sponsored by Lanyon Bowdler Solicitors, at the annual awards dinner held at Dering Lines, Brecon last Friday night.
Organised by Mid Wales Manufacturing Group, the awards showcase business excellence across Powys.
Richard Morgan, Electric Classic Cars' managing director, said:
“It's fantastic to win such a prestigious award. A year ago, I was working from home as a hobby; now we have a 12,000 sq ft factory, seven staff, customers all over the world and a TV company is filming a series about what we do.
“It's great to have recognition of all the hard work that the team has done.
You don't build a business up with one person, it's down to teamwork.”
Electric Classic Cars Limited, which has seven employees, has been carrying out electric conversions and full restorations of classic cars since 2016.
What initially started as a hobby for director Richard Morgan at his home in Llandinam soon grew into a trading business due to a rapidly expanding order book.
The company specialises in high quality conversions on classic cars from the 1950s to early '80s. It has converted everything from the classic Fiat 500 to the prestige-style Ferrari 308.
Following support from an external investor in 2019, the company relocated from a home workshop to a 12,000 sq ft industrial unit in Newtown and it has a growing, year-long waiting list.
New developments include a custom-built electric motorcycle, The Photon, which fills a gap in the market and fits in with a retro-styled modern technology and a new range of Electric Classic Chargers.
The company, which includes celebrities amongst its customers, has also designed and built stunt buggies and other unique vehicles for the Electron Stunt Show in Macau and the Fast and Furious LIVE (arena) Show.
“The last four years have seen a remarkable surge in the demand for electric vehicles in the UK with new registrations of plug-in cars increasing from
3,500 in 2013 to more than 220,000 by the end of June 2019,” said Richard.
“At Electric Classic Cars Limited we are delighted to be so perfectly placed to use our unique skillset and expertise to meet the needs of our customers through this rapid evolution of the market.”
The award judges said: “The company invests heavily in research and development and is well led by the owner who has gathered together an expert team that supports him in emerging medias such as YouTube videoing techniques and 3D modelling of components.
“This has resulted in developing unique solutions which are approximately three years ahead of any competition.”
