CHIPPENHAM company Dymag – one of the leading carbon-fibre wheel manufacturers in the world – welcomed a ministerial visit today as part of a new industrial strategy announced by the Government.

Minister for climate change and industry, MP Nick Hurd, visited the company as the Government look to get the views and contributions of businesses, local groups and workers in the South West as part of the new strategy.

The Industrial Strategy Green Paper seeks to outline ten key points as part of the industrial strategy, which is intended to narrow the productivity and wealth gap between different regions.

“It’s been really interesting, Dymag is a small part of the big picture,” said Mr Hurd.

“They are a successful, fast growing, small business and they are developing a very valuable technology.

“They make carbon wheels for racing cars but their ambition is to make them for the main car market at a time when there’s going to be a big change for cars.

“They have got a very good technology.”

Since 2014, Dymag has received a government grant of £1.6million as well a loan £3.3million while hiring 20 new staff in the last 18 months, with hopes of hiring a total of 150.

Sam Holliday, Federation of Small Businesses development manager for Gloucestershire and the West of England, said: “According to our recent FSB survey, confidence among our members in the South West is rising and even in these times of obvious economic uncertainty we feel the sheer resilience and drive of the small business community should not be underestimated.

“We would therefore welcome a bold, business-friendly industrial strategy which supports small businesses and gives them the incentives and the backing to do even more to cement this positive momentum and further boost the economy.”