CASE STUDY
Support Programme: High Growth Programme
Company Assisted: NewReach CIC
Support Activity: Support for a Growing Social Enterprise Business
In 2009, following many years' experience of managing publicly funded business support and environmental sustainability programmes, David Bowker took the decision to launch a new Community Interest Company (CIC) called NewReach.
Through the Northwest Development Agency's Coaching for High Growth Programme, he was able to obtain professional marketing advice that enabled him to develop a successful strategy for expansion.
Background:
The vision for NewReach CIC is to create a viable growing enterprise based on the “Triple Bottom Line” – integrated social, environmental and economic development. The company's principal aims are to create employment and training opportunities for people from disadvantaged communities by delivering a series of environmentally beneficial commercial services. The first of these is a paint recovery and reuse service called "Paint 4All" which entails the collection, testing, bulking and redistribution of unwanted paint.
In order to give the venture the best possible chance of success, David approached The Winning Pitch with a request for support via the Northwest Regional Development Agency's High Growth Programme.
Support Provided:
Following this initial assessment, David was referred to Enterprise4All for coaching support – particularly with respect to developing a marketing strategy and a detailed communications plan.
Using the allotted five days of free coaching support to good advantage, David worked with the E4All coach to clarify the business model and to develop a specific product offer and tailored messages for each of the target markets.
With this support, David was able to launch a new website that targeted key customer groups such as FE colleges, community groups, local authorities, housing associations, painting contractors, local charities and members of the public. He also began a concerted direct marketing campaign and prepared PR material to secure useful media coverage.
Results:
NewReach attracted the attention of SITA UK, a key waste management agency contracting with several local authorities in the North of England and began collecting unwanted paint from household waste recycling centres in November 2009.
Within a few short weeks, NewReach was collecting almost 3.5 tonnes of paint per week, mainly water based emulsions. This diverts a large and growing volume of waste from landfill. It also provides the foundation for financially viable services that will create new jobs and support employment in local communities where jobs are hard to find. To date three people have been brought out of long term unemployment to work at NewReach in Preston.
New revenue is increasingly being generated from the collection, segregation, sorting, bulking and repotting of paints ready for the distribution to a growing range of customers enabling them to secure affordable paint where cost had been prohibitive.
Building on this successful start, NewReach CIC has been building partnerships with educational establishments, housing associations, voluntary and community groups as well as private businesses looking towards launching new services including a further waste collection, reuse and recycling facilities.
For further details, please visit www.newreach.co.uk