Coventry Company Expands With Significant Funding Support

A  Coventry firm which helps protect visitors to some of the UK’s largest events against potential vehicle-ramming attacks has taken on new members of staff and is expanding its services after securing almost £55,000 of funding.

Event management specialist StadiumTM has employed eight new members of staff and is continuing to create new roles after relocating from Coventry University Technology Park to a new, bigger premises in Walsgrave after engaging with the Coventry & Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership Growth Hub. 

The business, which supplies traffic management, stewarding, security and training services to the events industry, is also expanding its hostile vehicle mitigation (HVM) product service side of the business.

The unique and mobile temporary security barriers are used to protect members of the public from vehicle ramming attacks, and StadiumTM is investing in additional equipment to continue meeting the needs of its network of high-profile clients.

Following discussions with Gary Thyeson of the Growth Hub along with both Kieran Bal and Matthew Dillow of Coventry City Council, StadiumTM received a £50,000 grant from Coventry and Warwickshire Business Support Programme and a further £4,679 grant from its Green Business Programme. 

This money has been invested in the renovation of the new premises in Bodmin Road, the purchase  of additional HVM equipment and upgrading the  insulation and lighting within the building.  This will lead to annual carbon savings in excess of 4 tonnes and a 70% reduction in lighting costs. 

The grants, which were secured through the company’s work with the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership Growth Hub, are part funded by the European Regional Development Fund and are being delivered by Coventry City Council who are an accountable body.

In 2018, StadiumTM provided services to local events including Godiva Festival, BBC Radio’s Biggest Weekend and the Rolling Stones performing at the Ricoh Arena as well as events across the country including the London Marathon, the Fever-Tree Championships at Queen’s Club and the Blackpool Illuminations switch-on event.

StadiumTM managing director David McAtamney said: “We have seen a 61 per cent increase in revenue in the past 12 months, and have ambitious plans to grow this further in the coming year.

“The grant has not only helped us move into our new headquarters, facilitating our growing number of staff, but has also enabled us to expand the range of HVM solutions we offer.

“HVM solutions are the newest area of the business, and we are seeing more and more organisations in the events industry looking at ways to protect crowds from the threat of vehicle ramming attacks.

“We are very pleased to have worked with both the Growth Hub and Coventry City Council, and hope to develop a long-term partnership with the organisations.”

Craig Humphrey, managing director of the CWLEP Growth Hub, said: “StadiumTM has experienced a considerable amount of growth, and unlocking this funding means we have been able to instill confidence in the business to continue its momentum.

“It is important that we support scalable companies so that they can experience the growth that this region needs, creating jobs for local people and boosting the economy.

“We look forward to working with StadiumTM in the future as they continue to develop ambitious plans to expand the business further.”