Central Medical from Leek survive and change tactic thanks to £5,000 grant

Central Medical supplies in Leek, a trusted supplier of medical retail and to hospitals for over 30 years, is growing month on month and taking on extra staff thanks to receiving a £5,000 growth grant from Staffordshire Means Back to Business Scheme.

When hospitals reduced the number of  operations carried out during the first wave of the pandemic, the family-run business saw their custom drop by over two-thirds, but survived thanks to the grant and a commitment to provide the very best in customer service.

Jon Pollett, Finance Director at Central Medical, said:

‘’It was an extremely worrying time during the lockdown when demand literally vanished overnight.  We really felt the impact. 

But thanks to the Staffordshire Means Back to Business grant and our commitment to our customers, we were able to change how we do things.  Thanks to the grant we were able to buy packaging machines that saved us hours and hours of time, and can now provide a complete electrical testing service – which matches the changing needs of our customers.

It all means that the customer can literally use the product straight away.   Because we changed our business model to what customers needed, we’re doing really well and selling a lot of electrical equipment.  We’ve taken on two electrical engineers and apprentices so that we can grow the unique skills our business needs for the future.

The grant from the scheme was absolutely critical to our survival,  and was also the springboard to our growth.”

Although all funding has now been allocated to businesses from the Staffordshire Means Back to Business scheme, the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Growth Hub on 0300 111 8002 have dedicated business advisors on hand to support and signpost businesses to current funding and professional support.  Any business less than two years old can apply for an interest free start-up loan of up to £5,000, with more information at www.staffordshire.gov.uk/StartUpLoans