Member Article

Business Productivity Grant helps Barnsley Battery Business to spark growth

A Barnsley-based business which supplies more than 7,000 different types of batteries to businesses across the UK and Europe is setting its sights on expansion after securing support from a grant scheme designed to improve business productivity in the region

Battery Dynamics which is headquartered at the Nexus Business Park, Dodworth specialises in sourcing a wide range of energy storage solutions including lithium batteries which are used in a range of industries including Rail, Marine, Automotive and aerospace, after seeing the demand for lithium batteries boom as more businesses swap petrol power with greener alternatives.

The company was founded in 2019 by industry expert Jordan Garland who spotted a gap in the market to deliver a comprehensive range of premium lead acid and lithium batteries. Despite facing challenges to their supply chains as a result of Brexit and Covid-19, the Barnsley-based business has found its services in high demand as more businesses swap petrol power for electric solutions.

Despite being a relatively young company, the sheer volumes of products being sold meant Battery Dynamics was dependent on a number of different systems and processes. To help the business operate more effectively, Jordan realised his business needed to find a better alternative and reached out to Enterprising Barnsley for help.

To meet the growing demand for its services, Battery Dynamics recognised it needed to invest in its workflow processes to help manage its stock more effectively, reduce errors and predict future demands. After discussing the challenges being faced by the business with Key Account Manager Paul Johnson, Jordan discovered his business was eligible to apply for support through the Business Productivity Programme, a match-funded grant scheme designed to help businesses across South Yorkshire to overcome barriers to growth.

After successfully installing new planning software which integrated different parts of the company, Battery Dynamics has enjoyed a significant period of growth. Today Battery Dynamics is responsible for delivering more than 8,000 units each week to businesses across the UK, Europe and beyond. Improved stock management has also helped to reduce errors by 95% and in order to meet growing demand, the company has increased its workforce to 13 members of staff, with plans to create a further five roles within the business over the next twelve months.

Jordan Garland, Managing Director, Battery Dynamics said:

“When most people think of batteries they typically think of the small ones found in clocks, watches and remote controls. However, as more businesses turn to renewable sources of energy to fuel machinery and vehicles in their business, we recognised that they are used in many different industries, in many different ways, from powering medical devices used in our hospitals to aeroplanes and submarines.

“I realised there was a niche in the market and having spent time working in the industry, I realised there was a golden opportunity to use my skills and knowledge to support businesses across the UK. Since launching the business, we’ve enjoyed a significant period of growth over the past two years, overcoming problems in our supply chains as a result of Brexit and of course the impact of Covid-19. The sheer volumes of batteries being distributed each day, coupled with the thousands of different batteries we stock meant the systems and software we’ve used to manage the business were no longer fit for purpose. Many of the systems we used did not communicate with each other and this was costing the business thousands of pounds in lost time.

“The support we have received from the Business Productivity Programme has helped us to implement new software, which gives us greater control over the stock levels we hold, as well as identifying and forecasting demand for the products we stock. We’ve never applied for grants or funding support previously because we felt the application process could be quite difficult and time consuming, but the support we received from Paul and the Enterprising Barnsley team made the process very straightforward and the steps we have implemented has enabled us to lay the foundations for significant future growth.”

Paul Johnson, Key Account Manager, Enterprising Barnsley said:

“Battery Dynamics is a great example of a local business which spotted a niche in the marketplace and in a relatively short period of time has built a significant national and international client base. Jordan recognised that as the business grew and both its product range and clients increased, the systems used to manage key elements of the company’s work was no longer fit for purpose.

“The Business Productivity Programme was developed to help businesses across South Yorkshire overcome barriers to growth and ultimately help to create new skilled jobs within the regional economy. As a direct result of the support provided through the scheme, Battery Dynamics has successfully doubled its workforce and is planning to create an additional five jobs within the business”.

The Business Productivity Programme is funded by the European Regional Development Fund and provides businesses with 50% grant funding up to a maximum of £12,499 and the other 50% must be provided by the business. The maximum project application is £24,999 and can include investment in new equipment or machinery and consultancy services to help them overcome barriers to growth. The scheme is delivered by Enterprising Barnsley, Business Sheffield, Business Doncaster and Rotherham Investment and Development Office (RiDO)

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by South Yorkshire Business Productivity Programme .