Emroch Landscapes Ltd, a Port Talbot–based landscaping and playground design-and-build contractor was successful in securing grant funding as part of the Tata Growth Fund. The funding enabled Emroch to invest in essential plant and equipment, enabling the purchase of two Mecalac TA3SH dumpers and 150 Heras fencing panels, directly addressing high operational costs associated with plant hire.
This investment has delivered measurable improvements in financial performance, operational efficiency and business resilience, while also generating significant local economic and employment benefits.
The project has significantly reduced reliance on hired plant, resulting in lower ongoing operational expenditure, improved profit margins across contracts, strengthened cashflow and financial stability, and the conversion of recurring hire costs into long-term business assets. This has enabled the business to operate more efficiently and reinvest in growth.
Ownership of key equipment has improved delivery capability by enabling faster mobilisation across multiple sites, reducing downtime and reliance on third-party availability, improving programme certainty for clients, and increasing the ability to deliver concurrent projects. This has been critical in supporting the company’s expansion into direct local authority contracts and design-led projects.
The investment has strengthened Emroch Landscapes’ market position by enabling more competitive tender pricing through reduced overheads, enhancing credibility with Tier 1 contractors and local authorities, aligning with strategic growth plans including the Playdale partnership, and increasing capacity to expand its design-supply-install service offering.
The project has delivered strong employment outcomes, creating 10 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) jobs and safeguarding a further 4 roles that were at risk due to high operating costs and economic uncertainty; by improving business resilience, the funding has enabled the company to retain staff and support local recruitment.
The project delivers clear regional benefits, particularly in the context of economic disruption linked to Tata Steel’s restructuring, by supporting local job creation in Port Talbot and surrounding areas, strengthening the South Wales supply chain through local procurement, retaining economic value within Wales by enabling public-sector projects to be delivered locally, and contributing to wider economic recovery and business confidence in the region.
The grant funding represents strong value for money, delivering direct and immediate cost savings to the business, creating tangible long-term assets, supporting sustainable job creation and safeguarding, and generating an ongoing multiplier effect through increased spending within the local supply chain.
Overall, the grant funding has been transformational for Emroch Landscapes Ltd, enabling a shift from high-cost, hire-dependent operations to a more efficient, asset-based model that supports sustainable growth. The project has successfully delivered against its objectives by improving profitability, increasing operational capacity and strengthening resilience, while also generating meaningful local economic and employment benefits, demonstrating clear positive impact and a strong return in terms of business growth, job creation and regional economic support.
Joe James
Director of Emroch Landscapes Ltd
This project is supported by the UK Government through the Tata Growth Fund
