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A business in Wakefield predicts it will see a double in turn over in the next five years by working by increasing productivity and efficiency and investing in its team.

Bensons Control Panels, based at Beckbridge Road, Normanton, is one of the UK’s leading designer and manufacturer of bespoke control panels and systems and is on track to double its turnover from £3m to £6m.

The business is partnering with learning and development organisation, Pro–Development, to develop its team for the future to support the growth of the company.

The team at Benson Control Panels has invested almost £40k over the last three years in empowering employees at all levels through employee engagement, one-to-one-coaching, individual development plans and through a leadership development programme.

The Bensons Control Panels team at Normanton with managing director, Helen Culloden (centre, back row).

The company was established in 1961 when businessman Donald Benson began supplying oil gauges, rotary cup burners and controls to the heating industry.

And the business quickly grew and while the successful gas engineering business continued, customer demand led Bensons to begin designing and building their first control panels.

Today the business is led by managing director, Helen Culloden, who took the helm in 2018 following a management buyout which brought the company back into full family ownership.

Helen Culloden said: “As we enter a new era, we are placing even greater emphasis on training and development. We are seeing our industry investing more and more in its people and we want to stay ahead of the curve.

A Bensons Control Panels engineer working on one of its control panels.

"I believe that embedding our vision and equipping our people at all levels with the tools and skill sets they need will ensure we are all working towards a common goal and striving for growth.

“Since working with Pro-Development we have been able to provide invaluable training, support and development for our whole team. Much of the work was part-funded by external grants which Pro- Development was able to assist us in accessing.

"All levels of guidance and mentoring has been critical and invaluable in the ongoing training and development of our team and we are looking forward to continuing our work with Pro-Development.”

Normanton business on track to double turn over from £3m to £6m in the next five years