24 June 2011 Last updated at 12:56 ET

Following the companies and workers of Coventry

• Public sector workers
• Private sector companies

	Company	Business	Staff	The year ahead
	Abode Estate Agents Coventry	An independent estate agents with sales and lettings	3	We started out as independent players in the estate agent business in 2008, which was not a good year for the property market. However, it’s our intention to trade through the bad times and expand on the return of a more favourable business climate. Therefore, over the next 12 months we will be engaged in a big sales push using a variety of methods including logs and news articles.
	ActOn Finishing	Metal finishers for aerospace and automotive companies	26	At ActOn we plan to increase our headcount by 20% by the end of the year as we increase demand and push up sales. We plan to grow international sales of machinery and consumables such as high energy finishing machines and vibratory finishing machines to major aerospace and automotive companies.
	Acua	Leadership and management skills provider	61	We have traditionally offered accredited leadership and management to organisations with more than 250 employees, as they have the critical mass necessary to justify the creation of a programme. We are now developing cost effective solutions for SMEs, and are extending into international markets, broadening the product range into higher level apprenticeships and creating a coaching academy.
	Air Atlantique Ltd	A safari park for vintage aircraft	15-25	We pride ourselves at Air Atlantique at having the largest collection of old jets in Europe, which we use to provide a commercial recreational service. Over the next 12 months we plan to follow an expansion plan that will develop facilities, and potentially sell shares in some of the vintage jets. This will allow qualified shareholders to fly the jets themselves.
	Aircare Coventry Ltd	Electrical installers: heaters and air conditioners	4	Business at Aircare today is not as good as it was 12 months ago. However, over the next year we will be chasing new orders of electrical installations, mainly heaters and air conditioners. We are already busy getting quotes from old and potential new customers, but are finding it hard to secure orders.
	AJA Architects	Firm of commercial architects	11	At AJA we are planning to take on three or four new staff in anticipation of more favourable trading conditions and a significantly higher workload. But this optimism is tempered by the fact that the commercial property market is still extremely slow, our clients are struggling to get finance and the competition to secure tenants with good covenants is extremely competitive.
	Allesley Garage	Garage specializing in MOTs, servicing and recovery	7	At Allesley Garage we are very cautious about the next 12 months. We’re a very longstanding family garage specializing in MOTs, servicing and recovery so have seen more than one recession come and go. We simply plan to take the next 12 months as they come and hope that business will keep coming our way.
	ApplianSys	Designers and manufacturers of computer servers	15	Our firm already exports to 80 countries worldwide and in 2011/12 we plan to continue to grow overseas, selling our two main products CACHBOX and DNSBOX. We will do this by recruiting more resellers, developing products to make them more competitive, recruiting more people to help us become world class and working with investors to help propel our growth.
	ATL Solutions	IT and IT support company	6	We formed in 2000 since when we’ve developed as a leading IT and IT support service provider, specializing in collaboration under the philosophy that IT is a tool for development not a block to it. Over the next 12 months we plan to build on our initial success and expand our client base that already includes the NHS as well as small manufacturing companies.
	Atteso Solutions	Training in leadership and presentation skills	Self-employed	There is uncertainty but there are also opportunities. The world is changing and we have to change too. I believe there is an appetite for quality, innovation and real results which is good for my business and many others. One thing that everyone can do is to use local suppliers to support the Coventry economy ourselves.
	Automotive Trim Developments Ltd	Provider of interior trim for cars, boats and planes	26	In the next quarter at Automotive Trim Developments we expect to increase our headcount by 20% while growing our sales of machinery and consumables as we feel that more and more companies will also take advantage of our in-house processing services following an increase in demand towards the end of 2010.
	Band Hatton Solicitors	Law firm	40	Founded in 1896, we are one of the biggest legal firms in Coventry (you’ll find us in the Legal 500 – the top 500 legal firms in the country). We deal with a lot of property and corporate business clients as well as wealthy individuals. Over the next 12 months we plan to grow by recruiting five to 10 people to expand the commercial side of the firm.
	Barclays	Major global financial services provider	1852	This year will see a major refurbishment of our branch network in Coventry, which will start with our High Street City Centre branch and will extend to our smaller community branches around the City. We will continue our fundraising and volunteering efforts to support a number of Coventry-based charities and schools and are pleased to be sponsoring this year’s Coventry Fun Run.
	Barnacle Hall	A wife-and-husband-run bed and breakfast	2	We are finding business to be very hard at the moment. We had been used to hosting long-term guests, but unfortunately that is no longer the case. To remedy this situation we plan to take advantage of the internet. Online, we will try to market Barnacle Hall better using a variety of methods including social media.
	Belgrade Theatre	Theatre and production company	40 - 120	At the Belgrade Theatre we have developed a thriving local arts business. However, the next 12 months pose a challenge to us in that our grant from the government has been cut by £150,000 and VAT has risen to 20%. We will endeavour to rise above these challenges by earning more from commercial ventures while still presenting a wide range of theatre to appeal to many different audiences.
	BMI The Meriden Hospital	Private hospital	230	We started in 2006 with two major operating theatres and more than 200 consultants working alongside our 230 staff. Being a relatively new hospital, we don't plan to make a significant investment in the business within the next 12 months. However, the hospital has been built with room for further expansion from the current 50 rooms in the future.
	Briant Curtaining	Soft furnishings manufacturer and retailer	15	At Briant Curtaining we already work for a wide range of clients, from providers of student accommodation to luxury cruise liners and Birmingham’s famous Rotunda building, but over the next 12 months we plan to be even busier by moving into new business areas such as the housing association sector.
	Bridge PR and Media Services Ltd	Public relations for a range of industry sectors	6	The range of interactive PR we provide at Bridge PR includes social media and we are finding more and more firms in the Coventry area that we work with are looking to engage with clients and customers using the likes of Twitter and Facebook. Therefore, over the next 12 months we will be concentrating on developing this side of our business.
	BT	World leaders in communications solutions and services.	850	Even in these difficult economic times, a huge investment is taking place in the Coventry area as we work to bring higher speed and super-fast broadband within reach of more of the city’s homes and businesses.
	The Camping and Caravanning Club	Club for campers and caravan owners	220	We were founded 110 years ago in London but moved to Coventry in 1990. After many years expansion we turnover £50m a year and have half a million members. Over the next 12 months our club will continue to expand with a project that will take control of campsites on Forestry Commission land.
	Carrick Travel	Independent travel agent	5	We have operated in Warwickshire for the last 35 years. Our plan over the next 12 months at all our offices including Coventry is to continue meeting the travel requirements of our existing clients and offer our exceptional service and independent expert advice to new clients.
	CDPW	Design agency	3	Over the next months we plan to expand our friendly design service. We want to obtain more blue-chip clients and we also hope to take on a junior designer to work with us on the range of services we provide, including creative design and corporate branding.
	CF Cases Ltd	Manufacturers of reusable flight cases	28	In the next 12 months we are planning a sales push of our manufacturing business. Currently, we design and build custom flight cases for a range of clients including customers in the defence sector such as the MoD, who we sometimes supply through an intermediary such as BAE Systems. Our sales push will be mostly tele-sales based, but we will also work at trade shows.
	Chinn Ltd	Manufactures components for the aerospace sector	110	We plan to grow from our base of extensive engineering and manufacturing skills by recruiting new staff and investing in new facilities and capabilities, including our joint venture reverse engineering of components for Russian aircraft. We foresee growth of 40% in sales and an increase in the direct workforce.
	Circadian Solar	Developer of innovative solar power systems	22	At Circadian Solar we have field trials and demonstration projects in progress and are now planning a large-scale manufacturing operation. We will be establishing a manufacturing base after carrying out key final system qualification tests in various locations in the sunbelt during the next 12 months.
	Coltman Warner Cranston LLP	Business-to-business debt recovery solicitors	26	Our plans for the next 12 months focus our marketing into overseas businesses, selling into the UK and investing in a new IT Server and software to help our collections work for clients, which will save time and costs for clients. Training started recently and we will use the quieter time to train our staff fully in readiness for work picking up. We continue to invest in educating our Legal executives and lawyers.
	CPP (Manufacturing) Ltd	High-end manufacturing of car parts and vehicles	220	We plan to recruit up to an extra 40 people at Coventry Prototype Panels (CPP) across our five sites in Coventry. There is also potential for recruitment in a firm that CPP has just bought. We are confident that we are going to grow our high-end automotive manufacturing over the next 12 months.
	Cromwell Garage	Garage serving the local and business communities	12	Our company was established in the 1950s and has expanded since then as it has changed hands. We are busy at the moment, we believe, because the motorist has to keep their car on the road, making the garage trade more robust than some. Over the next 12 months, in this general business climate, we plan to keep our heads down and not over-commit ourselves.
	D&P Holt	Commercial property estate agents	15	We are finding that there has been an increase in property-related enquiries since the beginning of the year. A lot of these have been from new businesses. Over the next 12 months we plan to build our client base by increasing and improving our stock of properties as part of a sales push.
	Days Hotel Coventry City	Hotel and conference centre		The main plan for us is to try to launch our conference business again, which has been badly affected by the current downturn in the economy. We’re working hard on making improvements to our conferencing facility, including hiring a sales manager and working closely with local businesses and conference booking agencies.
	D-Drill	Diamond drilling and sawing in the construction industry	89	At D-Drill we expect the next 12 months to be tough. However, we are still aiming to grow our market share of the construction industry: diamond drilling and sawing. To do this we plan to take on more experienced staff who we hope will help us grow the company and use that growth to lead us out of recession.
	The Deli	Sandwich shop and delivery service	12	We are a small but growing firm with two shops located between the university and council buildings. To date we have had great success with sandwich shop sales and deliveries. Over the next 12 months we plan to build on this by developing our website and by offering more buffet-style meals, which we believe will be popular.
	De Marco Hunter Solicitors	Solicitors	6	We have gone through a significant period of change due to a recent change in ownership. Due to the changes in the regulation of the legal profession later this year, we will ensure our continued growth and place within the local market as a leading provider of specialist employment law and human resources advice to SMEs. We have recently recruited additional solicitors and consultants.
	Deeley Construction	Construction	40	There appears to be more work now than was the case 12 months ago in some of the different types of project we work on: retail, commercial, industrial and residential.
	Earlsdon Butchers	Free range butchers	6	At Earlsdon Butchers we don’t just sell meat, we sell our own ready-meals made from the same meat: ethically produced lamb, pork, beef and poultry from free range and organic farmers. Over the next 12 months we plan to expand on the initial success of these ready-meals, which may require us to recruit extra staff. We’re also looking to stock more boar and game.
	EDI	International qualifications and assessment services provider	200	At Educational Development International we offer 500 vocationally-based qualifications from health and social care to taxi driving. Over the next 12 months we hope to expand our business by engaging much more closely with the government's apprenticeship programme and raising the profile of vocational qualifications in general.
	The Envisage Group	Design and engineering	60-70	We're in the midst of building a new facility 500 yards from our existing premises. It's a £6m investment, which will help us expand into a larger market place and give us extra capacity.
	Gillian Wesley Design	Fashion designer with High Street shop	2	I won my shop in a competition! I entered as a home-based fashion designer and now have a retail premise for 12 months entirely rent-free. Now, in March 2011, I am half way through and am trying to turn what was a home business into a viable High Street enterprise, offering outer-corsetry for special occasions.
	Jaguar Landrover	Leading automobile manufacturers		At the end of 2010 Jaguar Land Rover, the UK's leading premium automotive business, revealed its ambitious plans for new models and volume growth. This included multi-billion pound investment in the business, retention of three manufacturing plants in the UK and the creation of thousands of new jobs in the next decade.
	Lal & Sons Cash & Carry	Family run wholesale caterers	26	We are a family-run firm of wholesale caterers serving Coventry and the surrounding areas. We work in both high and low end sectors but are finding at the moment that the latter provides much better business than the former. Therefore, over the next 12 months we plan to work on this area. For example, we will be working more with fish’n’chip shops.
	Laser Transport International Ltd	High-end and specialist international freight company	125	The next 12 months will see us focus on serving our wide range of clients with road, air and sea freight and project cargo services, as well as warehousing and complete supply chain management. While the global economy remains uncertain, Laser Transport will continue to invest in new technology and equipment and explore new international markets
	Link Mailing Ltd	Printing and direct-mail-distribution for businesses	11	We have just taken on two new apprentices to help us with our direct-mail-distribution business. Now and over the next 12 months we will be in a position to invest time into a major sales push to expand our client base of businesses that require our services, including print and marketing.
	The London Taxi Company	Manufacturers and exporters of the London taxi	300	We plan to maintain our share of the UK taxi market and expand our operations in international taxi markets. We currently export to 60 countries. The London Taxi Company will also continue to work on new models of taxi: the latest TX4 includes a host of advanced features such as the brand-new Euro IV diesel engine, ABS brakes and a quieter, smoother ride.
	Mercia Building	Builders of large-scale residential extensions	4	We would be happy to tread water over the next 12 months and emerge from the recession still in business. However, we are putting some things in place to increase the volume of the business and its margins. We plan to move into a more affluent market on the back of a recent job that we plan to use to advertise.
	Metaswitch Networks	A next generation telecoms company	14	Over the last few years we have built Metaswitch up to be the market leader in the US. Over the next 12 months we plan to work to replicate that success in other international markets. Our Coventry office will be at the heart of that, where we will undertake necessary translations and reprogramming.
	Mike de Courcey Travel Ltd	Rural and urban bus company	140-150	We started running local bus services, both in urban and rural areas, following deregulation in the early 1970s. We have expanded our urban, inter-urban and commuter buses into Coventry as well as services around the city. Over the next 12 months we plan to continue this expansion, including a new partnership with Warwick University.
	Mindriot Productions	A small video production company	2	We are uncertain about the next 12 months although business is better now than it was 12 months ago. We work with a lot of firms in the arts-sector who are funded, at least in part, by the government. Therefore, over the next year we will be waiting to hear how cuts to arts-spending will affect them and their business with us.
	Molecular Solar	Developers of solar cells at University of Warwick	2	We plan to expand our setup within the University of Warwick’s chemistry department, where we work as part of a major programme organized by the NGO Technology Strategy Board. Recruitment of two new members of staff will allow us to expand over the next 12 months and increase innovation with a view to boosting UK growth and productivity.
	Newman Estate Agents	Midlands-based chain of estate agents	15	Founded in 1989, we have built a popular and successful estate agents business in Coventry, which was voted best overall estate agent at the National Estate Agent Awards in 2004. Over the next 12 months we aim to continue that success. The plan is to maximize profits from our sales and lettings business and open new offices.
	PetShopbowl	Online shop with pet foods and pet accessories	5	Over the last 10 months at Petshopbowl we have carved out a niche for ourselves offering pet foods and pet accessories online. We’ve found there to be a demand for known brands at low prices. On the basis of this success, over the next 12 months we are moving into a much larger premise and expanding our website.
	Peugeot	Peugeot’s UK HQ, distribution and training centre	950	Worldwide, 2010 was our best ever year but in the UK it was tough, only three years after we built our £25m UK HQ in Coventry. However, were are confident about 2011 with new products coming onto the market including the first diesel/electric hybrid, leading up to a replacement of our biggest-selling car, the 207, in 2012.
	Prime Solutions 4 Business Ltd (PS4B)	Outsource IT company for business clients	6	We are finding business in 2011 to be quite good following a very good year in 2010. We have just taken on a new member of staff, a support engineer, who will allow us to keep expanding the company. We will also continue pro-actively searching for new business using a variety of methods including traditional cold calling.
	Production Modelling Ltd	Software	12	We are realigning our focus as government budget cuts cause the public sector to cut back on the kind of improvement services we offer. Although we will continue to serve our traditional manufacturing markets in the UK, we are also looking further afield for business. Already, two of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies have bought software and installed it in the USA and Europe.
	Raymond J Smith	All car services bar paint work and bodywork	7	Our business is very busy at the moment with lots of general repairs, MOTs and diagnostics. We are working 7.30am to 6pm every day, although orders are slightly down on what they were two years ago. 2011 has started well and over the next 12 months, if we can keep doing what we are doing now, then all will be well.
	Ricoh Arena	Arena for business entertainment and sport	110	Olympics and more Olympics! Organising 12 regional football games including 4 double-headers. Building on the success of a recent 3,500 delegate conference and targeting large corporate, and targeting more indoor concerts building on our recent developments giving us a capacity of 10,000 standing, which is good selling point as far as the music industry is concerned.
	Select / Parkhouse Recruit	Recruitment agency for engineering and commercial	3	We are one of the UK's leading staffing services companies and have been at the forefront of recruitment in Coventry for many years. Over the next 12 months we are expecting some of our clients to experience a rebound following the downturn. We will be recruiting the extra personnel they require.
	Severn Trent Water	Water services	5500	We will continue to deliver almost two billion litres of clean water every day and provide a waste water service to over eight million customers, while keeping our average bills the lowest in the country. We will make sure that our drinking water and waste water quality is among the best in the industry while looking after the environment, our customers and the communities in which we live and work.
	Shortland Horne	Estate agents with a commerical and property division	7	Our firm was set up in 1995 by an existing estate agent, David Shortland, to buy and sell commercial properties and offer surveying work. Over the next 12 months we plan to continue to build on this original vision by expanding the business through undertaking further commercial agency and more professional surveying work.
	Silver Glade	Family jewellers specializing in alternative silverware	3	Our small, family-run jewellery shop in Coventry city centre specializes in our own unique products as well as some popular brands. We’ve been going for seven years now, and following our recent move into the Shelton Square, we are looking to increase Silver Glade’s range and its presence in the city over the next 12 months.
	Spencer Gardner Dickins	Accountants for owner managed businesses	32	We formed in 2004 as chartered accountants specializing in tax and accounting for clients ranging from start-up firms to businesses with a turnover of £100m. Over the next 12 months there will be further growth in our entrepreneurial clients and we will be helping them with acquisitions, disposals and restructuring.
	Sprue Safety Products	Design and manufacture safety products	41	The last three years have seen us grow by 62% per annum, which has helped maintain our status in the UK’s top 100 fastest-growing companies. Over the next three years we plan to drive innovation by using strong technical skills within the Midlands. In addition, we will consolidate our position as Europe’s leading safety products provider.
	Squires Gear & Engineering Ltd	Precision engineers for the car industry	26	We plan to continue to grow out of recession and concentrate on diversification of our existing businesses. To do this, we have recently invested in a new machining cell, specifically for the manufacture of disc brakes. This is a new venture for us and is generating a lot of interest from both existing and new clients.
	TER Group	Corporate events and entertainment agency	10	TER Group has more than 18 years experience in the industry. Our mission is to supply engaging events delivered with excellence. The next 12 months are looking great for us as a young company. With the right team, we are looking to be the largest events company in the midlands within 12 months.
	Tesco	Leading retail chain	1500	As one of the largest retailers and employers in Coventry we remain committed to supporting our staff and customers as the economy recovers. We are redeveloping our store in Bedworth (while the pharmacy remains open) and have planning consent to redevelop our store in Cannon Park. Both will create new jobs.
	Tinderbox Toys & Trinkets	Toy shop	3	At Tinderbox Toys and Trinkets, we have created a business that sells high-end, quality toys. Over the next 12 months we plan to market the shop better so that more people will know about the products we offer, which we hope will lead to an increase in sales. To do this we will work towards establishing our brand within our target audiences.
	Tom White Waste Ltd	Waste management and recycling company	64	At Tom White Waste Ltd we plan to increase our market share of the waste management and recycling business. We also plan to change direction and target different sectors of the market with a complete waste management and recycling package.
	TruTac Ltd	Specialists in tachograph analysis and compliance	21	TruTac specialises in the analysis of tachographs, which are the devices that measure the use of vehicles such as lorries over time. Over the next 12 months we will be focused on growth, targeting new markets such as, product development, and expanding the team by recruiting the right team members to deliver future plans.