Zip Clip

The Welshpool based company, which was founded twenty years ago, has worked on flagship projects, including the London 2012 Olympics, World Cup stadiums, Amazon Data Centres and London’s new US Embassy.

The company exports to over 40 countries around the world, with exports accounting for 50% of turnover. The company expects that figure to be 70% by 2026 with India overtaking Europe to be its largest export market.

In recent months the company has signed a string of export deals in territories across the globe, many of which have had entirely new products created specifically for those markets, in textbook examples of how exporting drives product innovation.

In New Zealand, Zip-Clip’s recently launched system, Zip-Splice+, has been acquired by the region’s largest reinforcement group, Fletcher Reinforcing.

Zip-Splice+ is a heavy-duty splicing system purpose-designed for the joining of prefabricated piling reinforcement cages, which are used to strengthen concrete columns. It offers quick installation and vitally, eliminates the need for operatives to put their hands inside the cage during installation.

Already holding a Queen’s Award for excellence in international trade, Zip-Clip plans to submit the innovative Zip-Splice+ product for a King’s Award for Enterprise.

The company has also supplied a new product for sprinkler systems. The product has been designed specifically for the New Zealand market and was designed in collaboration with testing and certification specialists, Element, at Bristol University. The new IEEE Seismic Sprinkler system, has now been listed by one the world’s major insurers AON for fire protection.

Zip-Clip has also been delivering a number of seismic defence projects across New Zealand’s North and South Islands.

Seismic led export deals have also been recently signed in Mexico. Mexico is an entirely new export market for Zip-Clip which it has recently entered for the first time.

Zip-Clip has been supported on its export journey by the Welsh Government since 2009 after the global recession significantly impacted turnover.
 

“Their export support has helped us to research a number of new markets and also helps us find the right people to speak with in-market”, says Zip-Clip Joint CEO Steve Goldsworthy, “We’ve also had financial backing to visit new markets and attend trade missions. Their support has been invaluable.  I recently calculated that we have done £8 million in extra business as a direct result of their support programmes.”  

 

In 2021, Zip-Clip quickly established a distribution centre in Lyon, France, as a result of hard Brexit regulations which meant the company needed a European base to ensure its future in what remains its largest export market.

“The changes in trading terms created by Brexit made it essential for us as a business to establish a European distribution hub to continue the high level of service expected by our customer base”, explains Matthew Clay Michael, Joint CEO, Zip-Clip. We are however very much a Welsh firm through and through. The majority of our products are made in Wales and will continue to be developed from our Welshpool facility in Mid Wales. We innovate, design and manufacturer to global standards and will continue to fly the flag for Welsh engineering and manufacturing around the world.”

“We’re constantly travelling to all corners of the globe to meet new customers, attend exhibitions and trade missions, and assess ongoing projects. Our exports are the cornerstone of our business and growing year on year. Within a few years we expect it to account for the vast majority of our turnover as developing markets like India offer up almost limitless opportunities.”