
Torfaen MP Nick Thomas-Symonds visits Wiltan in Pontypool
The company exports products to global markets, and the visit focused on the export services available to businesses in Torfaen through the Department for Business and Trade.
Nick Thomas-Symonds MP said: "It was fantastic to visit Wiltan in Pontypool to see how exporting can help a business grow.
"The three trade deals the Government have signed are real opportunities for growth, and as local I'm keen to help Torfaen firms unlock their potential and bring jobs and investment to our communities.
"If you're based in Torfaen and think this support provided by the Department for Business and Trade could be relevant for your business, or if you'd like help making contact with the right team, my office is here to assist, so do get in touch on 01495 740498 or nick.thomassymonds.mp@parliament.uk."
Rhys Jones, general manager at Wiltan, said: "We were delighted to welcome Nick Thomas-Symonds MP to our facility and to have the opportunity to showcase the work we do here in Pontypool for customers around the world.
"I shared with Nick how Wiltan's long-standing owners remain committed to the future of the business and to continuing to provide local employment.
"We are currently working with the Welsh Government with the aim of securing funding to enhance our in-house capabilities and to establish a strong foundation for future growth and sustainability."
The Department for Business and Trade offers a range of support, including free webinars, market insights, expert advice, and access to finance through UK Export Finance, as well as peer support.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Leader Live
an hour ago
- Leader Live
Wrexham MS shares an update on Government funding for region
MS for Wrexham One of the most important parts of my job has always been to help ensure Wrexham receives its fair share of funding. In recent months, there have been some tangible examples of Welsh Government investment making a positive difference, specifically in the city centre. Much of the improvements have come via the Transforming Towns programme, which aims to help communities revitalise their high streets and public spaces, honouring their past and investing in the future. Wrexham has secured more than £10m from this scheme and some examples of where the money has been spent includes the newly refurbished indoor Butchers' and General Markets, which received £2.5m in grant funding. Residents who've visited the city centre recently will have seen the improvements on High Street. The pedestrian-friendly space has enabled the neighbouring bars and restaurants to open international-style areas for people to sit and dine outside. While these are examples of work that has been completed, there are also further projects in the pipeline. In the not-too-distant future, Wrexham's 'Museum of Two Halves' will reopen on Regent Street. The project will see the development of Wales' first ever football museum, alongside the enhanced and expanded Wrexham Museum. The Old Library on Queens Square is also being redeveloped and will become a new creative hub. All of this has been delivered thanks to the Transforming Towns programme and earlier this month, the Welsh Government announced it is allocating an additional £17m to the fund this financial year, resulting in the budget being increased from £40m to £57m. It means even more regeneration projects can take place and I hope Wrexham will once again benefit. In addition to Transforming Towns, extensive conservation work is nearing completion at St Giles Church. Cadw, the Welsh Government's historical environment service, has contributed over £167,000 through its Historic Buildings Capital Grant Programme towards the conservation project. This grant supported masonry repairs to the south aisle and chancel, re-leading the chancel roof, and renewing rainwater goods with adaptations to manage heavy rainfall more efficiently as part of climate change adaptation measures. The project has also supported two apprentices in stone masonry. St Giles is a celebrated landmark and one of the finest examples of religious architecture in Wales. I am pleased this investment will help preserve this wonderful, listed building for future generations. If you're a constituent in Wrexham and there is an issue I could help you with, please contact me via email: or call 01978 355743.


Scotsman
2 hours ago
- Scotsman
How Scotland's affordable homes budget is bankrolled by buyers
David J Alexander says LBTT figures show the private sector is effectively funding a huge chunk of Scottish housing policy Sign up to our Scotsman Money newsletter, covering all you need to know to help manage your money. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Homebuyers, landlords, property investors, and second homeowners should give themselves a round of applause. The latest figures show that these are the people paying property taxes which are now equivalent to the entire affordable housing budget allocated by the Scottish Government. These people – from the first-time buyer to the million-pound property owner – have supplied £714.2m through land and buildings transaction tax (LBTT) over the latest year from August 2024 to July 2025. This total is £110m higher than the previous 12-month period, when £604.2m was raised. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Whether revenue from LBTT is directly transferred to affordable housing is unknown but private buyers are now effectively funding a huge chunk of Scottish housing policy. The land and buildings transaction tax has raised £714.2m over the last 12 months (Picture: John Devlin) Last month recorded the highest ever figure for LBTT of £80.3m: the highest ever monthly charge from the additional dwelling supplement (ADS) paid by landlords, property investors and second home buyers at £28m; as well as the highest ever contribution from ordinary homebuyers with £52.3m. Almost all the residential taxes raised came from properties sold for more than £325,001. The 19,560 transactions above this threshold collected £388.8m, which is 78.9 per cent of the total £493m raised in LBTT (this is the figure for residential sales with the ADS figures removed). This means that the average tax levied per transaction was £19,877. Does anyone really believe that someone buying a property worth £325,001 is 'rich' and able to subsidise the rest of the Scottish economy? Are these really the people in Scotland with the broadest shoulders? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Meanwhile, landlords and property investors, while often vilified by politicians and others as the cause of the current housing emergency, paid £221.3m, which was almost a third of the LBTT total for the last year. This is a clear indication of just how crucial this group is in providing homes and substantial tax funding. David J Alexander is CEO of DJ Alexander Scotland Ltd (Picture: Laurence Winram) But it is questionable whether this is a sustainable, or even sensible, means of raising revenue. The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) specifically criticised the policy this year stating that: 'Scotland's increase in the surcharge in land and buildings transaction tax (LBTT) on the purchase of second and rental homes, from 6 per cent to 8 per cent… continued a trend of increases in this 'additional dwelling supplement'', and 'the move makes an already highly economically damaging tax even worse'. It continued: 'It is not yet clear what the Scottish Government's vision for tax policy is – but increases to LBTT are not consistent with any economically sensible strategy.' The IFS, and many private investors, understands that the current LBTT policy is simply political posturing which makes little or no economic sense but plays up to the idea that punishing 'the rich' is the way forward. While these figures indicate just how resilient and lively the Scottish property market remains there needs to be a level playing field with our UK counterparts. We need – as the IFS and others point out – a proper tax strategy in which there is a reasonable explanation of why these taxes are so high and what benefits accrue from them. Regardless of the current market buoyancy there is little doubt that continued higher property and income taxes will start to deter individuals and companies from future investments in Scotland if this situation is not addressed.

Rhyl Journal
5 hours ago
- Rhyl Journal
British manufacturers lagging behind international competitors on automation
Use of robotics and AI systems was poor, with training of people in relevant digital skills well below what is needed to catch up, it was warned. The report by Make UK and Sage said nearly half of British manufacturers identify a lack of technical skills as the biggest hurdle to improving their use of innovative advanced technologies. Projects which do start often stall after implementation stage, because companies cannot find the help and advice they need to make the technologies work well. Seamus Nevin, chief economist at Make UK said: 'Time and again, we hear from small and medium-sized manufacturers that they're keen to adopt new technologies, but are being held back by fragmented support, complex funding systems, and a lack of accessible, appropriate digital skills training. 'If we want to unlock a £150 billion boost to UK GDP by 2035, we must make it easier for SMEs to adopt automation and AI.' A Government spokesperson said: 'We are taking a range of actions to remove the barriers holding back growth and unleash the potential of AI in our economy, including through the AI opportunities action plan. 'Our modern industrial strategy has also introduced ambitious plans to drive growth and investment across the UK, and our Plan for Change will ensure our country continues to be the best place to invest and do business.'