[ About Craft Wales ]
Twenty years of Welsh joinery
Craft Wales has been designing, making and installing bespoke timber structures from the same site in Ystrad Mynach since 2006. Everything we build is made by our own team, in our own factory, and installed by the people who made it.
Making since 2006Four industry awardsMade in-house: 100%Welsh made, by local people
[ The story so far ]
From one small unit to a working factory.
2006
Craft Wales is founded, moving into a 500 square metre unit in Ystrad Mynach.
2008
Winner, Young Business of the Year, Caerphilly Business Association.
2011
Winner, CAMRE award for the most innovative use of timber.
2014
Winner, Caerphilly Business Awards, Manufacturing in Action.
2015
Craft Wales designs and makes the Chair of the Bard for the Urdd Eisteddfod.
Today
More than 3,500 square metres of workshop and factory space on the same site, under new ownership.
[ Inside the factory ]
Everything happens under one roof.
Craft Wales grew from a 500 square metre unit in 2006 to more than 3,500 square metres of workshop and factory space on the same site. The factory runs CNC cutting, a spray booth and in-house metal fabrication. Work is designed, made and installed by our own team, so a project never passes through someone else's hands.
We work in locally sourced hardwoods, mostly oak and sweet chestnut, alongside Douglas fir, larch and spruce. Timber comes from the UK wherever we can, and from Wales wherever possible, all of it from managed forests, finished in a natural oil.
Most suppliers sell a standard product out of a catalogue, the same size whatever the space. Everything we make is drawn and built by our own team, so it fits the playground, the park or the yard it is going into.
Spray booth
Metal fabrication
Joinery workshop
[ The owner ]
In the trade since 1988.
Carpentry and joinery runs in Ryan's family. His grandfather, his father and his brother all worked in the trade, and he followed them into it.
In 1988, after his A levels, Ryan began a formal craft apprenticeship, continuing his education to advanced craft level over the following six years and later completing an HNC in construction. He left local government in 1998 and has worked for himself ever since. Across his previous businesses he has employed more than a hundred people at any one time, and trained more than thirty young apprentices.
Ryan has known Craft Wales since it began around twenty years ago, helping out where he could, and bought the business from a very good friend. He has always loved the concept, the business model and the name, and is proud to now own all three.
[ The team ]
The people who make it.
Four of our current team have more than 120 years of experience between them. Over his career Ryan has trained more than thirty young apprentices, and that commitment to bringing people through the trade continues at Craft Wales. We work with ACT and Jobs Growth Wales, and currently have two young learners gaining work experience with us at the factory.
[ Working on your site ]
Safe hands on a live site.
Most of our work is installed in schools, nurseries and public spaces, often while they are still in use. Here is how we keep that straightforward for you.
Public liability insurance
£5 million, with Chiswell Insurance.
DBS checked installers
Yes. Our installers are DBS checked.
When we can install
We can install almost any week of the year, so we can work around your calendar.
Risk assessments and method statements
Available on request.
Site safety and segregation
We fence off the work area to restrict access to the installation site for the whole job.
Guarantee on our work
Five year workmanship guarantee
Experience across our team
120 years
Apprentices trained
30+
Awards won
Four
In the trade since
1988
[ Some of our work ]
Work we are proud of.
The Chair of the Bard
Craft Wales designed and made the Chair of the Bard for the 2015 Urdd Eisteddfod.
DreamWorks Shrek Adventure
Craft Wales made a 1.5 metre, two-person sit-in sleigh for the Shrek's Adventure! attraction beside the London Eye.
Granada Studios
An 800mm painted sleigh from the Craft Wales range was bought by Granada Studios and featured in Emmerdale.
Shipped worldwide
Craft Wales products have been shipped to customers in America and Australia.
[ Who we work with ]
Trusted by councils, schools and parks across Wales.
Councils and public spaces
- Caerphilly County Borough Council
- Carmarthenshire County Council
- Pembrokeshire County Council
- Parc Cwm Darran
- Parc Penallta
- Ystrad Mynach Town Centre
Schools and nurseries
- Hendre Primary School
- Darran Park Primary
- Cwm Ifor
- Cwm Gwyddon
- Cwm Derwen
- Our Lady and St Michael's Catholic Primary
- Maes Y Morfa
- Ysgol Y Felin
- Ysgol Penalltau
- Hendredenny Primary
- Ty Sign Primary
- Pontllanfraith Primary
- Ysgol Bro Preseli
- Little Einsteins Academy
- Hendre Primary School
- Darran Park Primary
- Cwm Ifor
- Cwm Gwyddon
- Cwm Derwen
- Our Lady and St Michael's Catholic Primary
- Maes Y Morfa
- Ysgol Y Felin
- Ysgol Penalltau
- Hendredenny Primary
- Ty Sign Primary
- Pontllanfraith Primary
- Ysgol Bro Preseli
- Little Einsteins Academy
Projects completed for these organisations.
[ Accreditations ]
Credentials and accreditations.
Here is where we stand, in short.
See the full accreditations page- Accreditations
- Constructionline and CHAS applications are in progress, and we are working towards ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.
- Standards
- All our play equipment is built in accordance with BS EN 1176, with BS EN 1177 for safety surfacing.
- Insurance
- £5 million public liability and £10 million employer's liability.
- Checks
- DBS checked installers, with risk assessments and method statements available on request.
Made in Wales, by local people.
Ryan's ambition for Craft Wales is simple. To manufacture quality Welsh products, made by our own locally employed team, for organisations across Wales.
- Designed and made in Ystrad Mynach.
- Installed by our own team.
- Locally employed, and staying that way.
Residential work goes to RCT Property Services
Craft Wales works with schools, councils, parks and businesses. For work at a private home, our sister company RCT Property Services handles it. Both are run by the same owner, from the same site, so a job that needs a builder as well as a joiner is still one conversation.
About RCT Property Services