Project Status - Completed
- Start Date: July 2020
- End Date: June 2025
- Growing Places Fund Loan allocation: £740,000
- Awarded to: Draper Ventilation Limited (draperVENT)
UPDATE: The building was sold in 2024 and all funds have been repaid to Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership
Dorset LEP allocated a £740,000 Growing Places Fund loan to Draper Ventilation Limited (draperVENT), who increased the total investment to £1.9 million, for the purchase of land and development of an agri-tech research and innovation centre at Dorset Innovation Park, an Enterprise Zone in Wool.
draperVENT, one of draperGROUP’s innovative companies, will use this new research and innovation centre to further develop computerised climate control systems for the agricultural sector.
The project will centralise the company’s existing workforce in Dorset and create an apprenticeship programme with local colleges, such as Kingston Maurward College, to encourage young people into the agri-tech sector.
Building work includes renovation of an existing 470m2 building into a company HQ which will include office space, R&D testing areas and training facilities for existing and potential customers. Adjacent will be a new 1250m2 research and innovation centre, which will be used for product demonstrations, storage and product distribution.
By 2025, Dorset LEP expects draperVENT to safeguard 18 jobs, create 20 new jobs and increase group-wide company turnover to over £20 million.
Project outputs:
- Land purchased = 0.86 Hectares (2.12 acres)
- Existing building renovated = 470m2
- New building constructed = 1,250m2
Project outcomes:
- Land unlocked = 0.86 Hectares (2.12 acres)
- 85% increase in turnover from £5.5m in 2019 to £10.2m by 2025
- 20 new FTE jobs by 2025 (10 in DVL & 10 in draperGROUP)
- 18 safeguarded FTEs across draperGROUP
- 9 businesses supported
- 10 jobs upskilled
- 4 new apprentices by 2025
