Perdix expands its role in protection of endangered species worldwide

"The ongoing support and advice I have received has been invaluable"

Equipment supplied by a small business in Warwickshire is being deployed across the world in the quest to protect endangered species.

For ten years, Perdix Wildlife Solutions Ltd, based at Hatton Rock near Warwick, has been involved in a pioneering project to reintroduce native grey partridges to farmland across the UK and Europe where they have gone locally extinct due to habitat-loss.

But while that project remains ongoing, the last 18 months have seen the reputation and reach of the company, formed by wildlife scientist Dr David Butler, increase significantly. Now, under the trading name Perdix Wildlife Supplies, the company supplies equipment to clients including national parks, research organisations, universities and zoos from the USA to South Africa.

That's quite an achievement for a small business which, until June 2018, worked out of a virtual office at the Rural innovation Centre, Stoneleigh, with all employees working from home. Clearly, the business itself had to grow to accommodate increasing demand - and it is growing, with support from Warwickshire County Council.

A £20,000 small capital grant enabled Perdix to acquire and equip new premises while equally important, according to Dr Butler, has been the business advice which accompanied the funding.

The scientist possessed all the required expertise in his field but was much less conversant with how to make a business grow. That's when the council's business support advisor Jagdish Soor came in.

"As a scientist I've always been a great believer in asking experts for advice," said Dr Butler. "I knew I needed to take the business to the next level but didn't know how go about it.

"The grant was very important as having our own premises gives us more warehouse capacity and office space and an increased product-viewing area and allows us to pursue the educational side of the business. But alongside that the ongoing support and advice I have received has been invaluable.

"This business is quite niche and I thought it would be difficult for someone not in this field to really understand the challenges, but straight away Jag just 'got it.' He spotted what the business needed and pointed us in the right directions, some of which I didn't know existed.

"Jag's guidance has been crucial. He tightened up the business and really made me focus on where I want it to go. It has much more direction now - before, I was enjoying it too much!"

The expansion will enable Perdix to increase its workforce as it supplies equipment, including wildlife cameras, trackers and feeders, to organisations engaged in the global mission to protect the planet. Much of the equipment is researched and designed by Perdix and then manufactured locally.

Jagdish Soor said: "David clearly has the skills and knowledge to underpin a successful business. His expertise and sense of vocation were crystal clear from the moment I met him. What he needed was some support and advice about the bread-and-butter of running of business, like having a strong, robust marketing plan.

"I have introduced him to Anita Dinnes of BCSL Consulting who is helping him with that and they have made a lot of progress. That is a big part of what we do as a business unit at Warwickshire County Council. It is not just 'here's a grant, now get on with it'. It is paramount that the business also receives ongoing advice and support."

* The advice for the company was delivered as part of the Coventry and Warwickshire Business Support Programme, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund and Warwickshire County Council. 

• To find out more about the range of support available to grow your business, please contact the Growth Hub on 0300 060 3747.