Booming business at Sir Frank Whittle Centre will bring jobs to Rugby

A high-tech business in Rugby is eyeing further growth, bringing jobs to the town, and a spectacular leap in exports from its base at the Warwickshire County Council-run Sir Frank Whittle Business Centre.

Oxford Fiber designs and manufactures cutters for fibre-optic cables to serve the high-speed internet. It is a highly specialist area as the cutters contain diamonds required to cut through the glass fibre-optics, leading to a dramatic increase in internet speeds.

Quite literally at the cutting edge of technology, Oxford Fiber exports around 600 of its products each year to communications giant Verizon in the USA. And the company has now developed a second product which could see a major expansion, potentially shipping between five and ten times as many cutters to the USA.

That a small Warwickshire technology business is succeeding on such a global scale is great tribute to the skills and hard work which underpin their operations. And managing director Ian Murgatroyd is delighted with the company's progress which, he says, has also benefited greatly from being based at the Sir Frank Whittle Centre.

"It is an excellent location," said Ian. "It offers a simple step-up for new or growing businesses and the size of the units allows flexibility as we grow - three people in a business or 12 people is easily accommodated.

"The environment makes for happy working, which is essential in a small business. 

"The location also gives credibility to a small business so that local business support (e.g. county council, grant-giving bodies) are happy with a business located here.

"I have previously been based elsewhere, including the University of Aston and University of Warwick Science Park, which are really good environments, and the feel of the Sir Frank Whittle Centre is similar. Also, for me, the local nature of the centre is ideal, only five minutes from my home which is important, saving me having to travel long distances to work."

Oxford Fiber's sustained growth has also been assisted by the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce through the Coventry & Warwickshire Business Support Programme which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), with further support from Warwickshire County Council and Coventry City Council. 

As part of that programme, the Chamber helped the business secure almost £6,000 of ERDF grant-funding through the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership. That money will go towards 3D printing technology and microscope equipment, enabling the firm to bring its new product to market earlier, as well as taking on two extra staff.

Mr Murgatroyd, who ran the business from home until making the move to the Sir Frank Whittle Centre, believes the company is ready to move to the next level.

“We can see the huge potential for growth, especially in the USA where our products are already used in the industry," he said. "We are investing in new technology and also in creating new jobs so the support we have had and the grant funding will help us to accelerate our growth.

“We hope to export at least 3,000 units, if not more than 5,000, per year once the new product is launched. That will mean skilled assembly jobs here in Rugby, a town well-known for its engineering prowess.”

Martyne Manning, of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, who has been assisting Oxford Fiber, said: “There is great potential for Oxford Fiber to Go For Growth and I am delighted to support the company. Through our Go For Growth campaign we have been highlighting some of the barriers to business expansion and, also, some of the opportunities. It’s great to be able to show the potential for success for Oxford Fiber but also to highlight to other eligible businesses that there is grant-funding available.”

For more information on the support available, contact the Chamber on 024 7665 4321 or email supportyourbusiness@cw-chamber.co.uk