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Growing gasworld.
13.02.12
A Cornwall-based company that organises international conferences and covers worldwide news about the industrial gas sector is set to expand once again in 2012.
gasworld was set up in 2003 by John Raquet, who has since used European investment in a variety of ways to accelerate his company’s growth, even during the global recession. Recent achievements and future plans include:
• A new website – www.gasworld.com – launched in November (2011).
• Three new employees in December bringing the total up to 12.
• Annual growth is estimated to have been 50% for 2011 through magazine advertising/subscriptions, two international conferences and the website.
• Two successful international conferences attracting hundreds of delegates held in 2011 and two further are planned for 2012 - in Singapore and Miami.
• Magazine - target of 20% growth for 2012 and increasing subscribers from 400 to 1,000.
• Launch of Gas Reports - (Business Intelligence reports for the gases business will be launched in 2012 opening up another important business sector for gasworld.
Carleen Kelemen, Director of the Convergence Partnership Office for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said, “gasworld is one of a growing number of businesses here that have been able to successfully use different types of European investment at different stages of growth to support and often accelerate expansion. The results so far are impressive.”
Mr Raquet has been involved in the industrial gas industry for around 30 years. Industrial gases play an important role in some of the world’s largest industries – including steel, manufacturing, petrochemicals, glass, paper, food & beverage, and healthcare.
He said, “The European investment has given us that momentum to expand, last year we doubled our profit and we now have a pretty aggressive three year plan to aim for.”
gasworld is based at the Truro Business Park and while it carries out international business it uses Cornwall-based companies, including printing carried out at Roche, wherever possible. Mr Raquet said, “About 95% of our revenue is generated overseas and nearly all of that is generated from our resource base in Cornwall.”
gasworld first benefitted from European investment under the Objective One programme when, in 2004, Business Link referred the company to SWIG for a development loan. On completion and under ERDF Convergence, the South West Loans Fund provided a further loan in November 2009 to support the company’s growth plans for the next five years.
Three graduates have also been employed via Unlocking Cornish Potential, which receives European Social Fund Convergence investment.
COPY ENDS.
For further information please contact:
Lorna Greenland, Marketing and Events Assistant, gasworld.com Ltd. Tel: O1872 225031.
Clare Morgan, Media Relations Manager for the Convergence Partnership Office for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Tel: 01872 223439 / 07973 813647.
Email: cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk
EDITORS’ NOTES:
Convergence:
• For further information see: www.convergencecornwall.com
• Convergence helpline telephone: 0800 0280120.
• In Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly the Convergence programmes are made up of European Regional Development Fund (£391 million) and European Social Fund (£153 million) and will run until 2013.
The South West Loans Fund supports small and medium sized businesses to finance expansion. In Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, this is made available through ERDF Convergence investment. The fund helps businesses which have growth plans but are unable to raise enough money from the bank and other sources. More than £5 million has so far been lent to nearly 100 businesses since the scheme launched in 2009.
Unlocking Cornish Potential receives ESF Convergence investment. A Combined Universities in Cornwall scheme run via Cornwall College, it places graduates with businesses in Cornwall and offers support including valuable expert mentoring for up to one year.
