Demand For Merthyr Tydfil Business Hub Goes Into Orbit

Demand for office space at one of South Wales’s premier business hubs has led to the building being reconfigured to provide more units. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council’s Orbit Business Centre – which celebrates its 10th birthday next year – is currently fully occupied and has a number of potential tenants in the pipeline. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

There are 16 companies in 18 offices at the 30,000 sq ft Rhydycar Business Park complex, with one of the largest units about to be converted into five smaller rooms. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“What we’ve found over the years is that the larger space of 3,000 sq ft is not as popular as the smaller units of 200-500 sq ft,” said Orbit Centre Manager Lance Whiteley. “The new offices will meet demand from a number of business start-ups, micro businesses and SMEs. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The centre provides comprehensive support and we have offices for new and growing businesses of all shapes and sizes, along with conference facilities, training rooms and meeting rooms.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The centre also offers free car parking, free Wi-Fi, superfast broadband, access to print and scan facilities, laptop and mobile phone charging facilities, a mail collection service and showers. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Current tenants include TPT Consultancy, whose founder and Managing Director is Merthyr Tydfil-born and bred Tom Townsend. The company provides a unique consultancy support and training service for the aerospace, defence and automotive sectors, working with both SMEs and large company supply chains across Europe, North America and Asia. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Orbit Centre has also recently become an office base for Burdens – which supplies of building products and services to the infrastructure, civils and utilities markets – specialist health and social support agency Drive Ltd, Delta Financial Consultancy and specialist teacher recruitment agency TeacherActive. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Merthyr Tydfil has one of the fastest growing business economies in South Wales, backed by a substantial investment programme,” Lance Whiteley added. “The Orbit Centre has a microclimate of economic diversity and mutual support, with many of our tenants working with and for one another.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Apart from its convenient location – the centre is in the heart of Merthyr Tydfil, next to the Welsh Government building and between the A470 and A465 road – its IT infrastructure is among the best. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We’re constantly upgrading our IT and our superfast broadband makes us one of the quickest buildings in the county borough,” said Lance. “It runs at 100MB, which is a huge advantage. When a company comes in, it can just plug in and play. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We’ve also got a fully dedicated team on site to cater for all the centre users’ needs – from a facilities officer to onsite ICT support, receptionists and admin assistants.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council Leader Cllr Brendan Toomey said: “The authority is very proud of the achievements of the Orbit Centre, both in terms of the way it’s contributed to Merthyr Tydfil’s position as the start-ups capital of Wales and of the opportunities it has helped offer for job creation.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​