An independent business in the Midlands which supplies gaming machines is ready to hit the jackpot after investing a five-figure sum in state-of-the-art software.
Comrie Automatics was established in 1963 by Harry Greig in Britannia Street in the Hillfields area of Coventry.
The business, which is now 15-strong, subsequently moved to Green Lane in Finham ten years ago.
Following Harry’s death in 2000, his wife, June, and son, Mark, took over Comrie Automatics and, along with fellow directors, Mark’s wife, Cheryl Greig, and Jason Miles, they continue to supply coin-operated machines to pubs and social clubs in Coventry, Birmingham, Walsall, Leicester and Northampton.
A total of £30,000 has been invested to buy new computers, a laptop and iPads for its engineers along with installing LeisureEase software which is designed for amusement and gaming machines.
This sum includes a £9,000 grant from the Coventry & Warwickshire Business Support Programme which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) after the business was assisted by the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) Growth Hub.
Director Mark Greig said after over five decades of trading, they are looking forward to another 50 years.
He said: “This will give us an advantage over other independents and enable us to compete with national companies because it will mean we can pitch for bigger contracts so this is a long-term financial decision.
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“The software will benefit us in many ways because we will be able to diagnose if there are any faults with coin-operated machines from our office before visiting the premises.
“Knowing in advance what the problem is will make us more efficient because this will mean we can take the parts we need to repair a machine and work more pro-actively to correct a problem before a pub or social club know it has gone wrong.
“We have five engineers who are always on the road so buying a laptop and iPads means they can check their work logs while they away from the office so they can check if they need to visit other customers while they are in a particular area, and it also reduces our administration.
“After contacting the Growth Hub, we had a visit from one of their account managers, Justine, and it was the first time we have ever applied for a grant and it was a straight-forward process.”
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Justine Chadwick, Account Manager at the CWLEP Growth Hub, said the Growth Hub was available to provide assistance with a wide range of business services.
“Comrie Automatics is a great example of a specialised business that is determined to plan for the long-term and invest in its future,” she said.
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“Mark and the team will be able to work more efficiently after installing state-of-the-art software which will benefit their customers in the West Midlands, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire.
“The Growth Hub is here to help businesses in all sectors and of all sizes with a number of free services such as grants, planning, legal services and financial advice and we wish Comrie Automatics the best of luck in the future.”