--- title: "About Craft Wales | Timber Joinery in Ystrad Mynach, South Wales" url: https://craft-wales.co.uk/about description: "Craft Wales has designed, made and installed bespoke timber structures from the same site in Ystrad Mynach, South Wales, since 2006." lang: en --- Image: Flatbed van loaded with timber outside the workshop (https://craft-wales.co.uk/__l5e/assets-v1/0db41142-9b16-430c-a64b-74e9068b71c7/workshop-truck-loaded.jpg) [ 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 2006 Four industry awards Made in-house: 100% Welsh made, by local people [ The story so far ] ## From one small unit to a _working factory._ 1. 2006 Craft Wales is founded, moving into a 500 square metre unit in Ystrad Mynach. 2. 2008 Winner, Young Business of the Year, Caerphilly Business Association. 3. 2011 Winner, CAMRE award for the most innovative use of timber. 4. 2014 Winner, Caerphilly Business Awards, Manufacturing in Action. 5. 2015 Craft Wales designs and makes the Chair of the Bard for the Urdd Eisteddfod. 6. 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. ### CNC cutting ### Spray booth ### Metal fabrication ### Joinery workshop - Image: A craftsman in a dark sweatshirt and woolly hat cutting a thick oak block on a radial arm saw in the workshop, with timber racks and toolboxes behind (https://craft-wales.co.uk/__l5e/assets-v1/9ffa60a9-6e7f-4424-b007-436ee01c90e1/workshop-oak-saw.jpg) - Image: Curved plywood sections of the Chair of the Bard being laminated together with metal spacers in the workshop (https://craft-wales.co.uk/__l5e/assets-v1/eaea3724-bfd7-45f2-a912-a246327aeef9/chair-of-bard-laminating.jpg) - Image: A craftsman in a Craft Wales T-shirt crouching to check the planked face of the large Parc Penallta welcome board, as assembled in the workshop (https://craft-wales.co.uk/__l5e/assets-v1/c11535ca-ec33-46f8-be5d-982997ba6ac5/penallta-board-workshop.jpg) - Image: The long carved oak Trails Teithiau totem lying on trestles in the workshop, with its green leafy branch carving and red route arrows freshly painted (https://craft-wales.co.uk/__l5e/assets-v1/547dcb1d-e2d2-4616-9d32-d2b2df280e73/cwm-darran-trails-workshop.jpg) - Image: Galvanised steel post shoe fixed to the end of a timber post in the Craft Wales workshop (https://craft-wales.co.uk/__l5e/assets-v1/d9e95d02-7129-434e-9f68-585b4669d402/metal-post-shoe.jpg) - Image: Two rolling tables inside the factory spray booth, loaded with spray finishing equipment, brushes and cans, under a bright yellow air hose (https://craft-wales.co.uk/__l5e/assets-v1/427c79af-6213-4ff5-b4da-88e41dcf067a/factory-spray-booth.jpg) - Image: The assembled timber Chair of the Bard standing on a trolley in the workshop, with carving along its edge (https://craft-wales.co.uk/__l5e/assets-v1/ff4e17c9-9e44-4b6b-a849-6bd0b2b48f49/chair-of-bard-workshop.jpg) - Image: Finished timber benches stacked on racks inside the workshop (https://craft-wales.co.uk/__l5e/assets-v1/abed1b53-241c-4272-bfd2-3a2f4eb97196/workshop-benches-racked.jpg) [ 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 Image: Looking up inside a timber barn roof at the exposed rafters and trusses, with hills beyond (https://craft-wales.co.uk/__l5e/assets-v1/7b31d6c8-c5eb-487f-a694-ffba47238497/barn-roof-detail.jpg) [ 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 (https://craft-wales.co.uk/accreditations) 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 (https://craft-wales.co.uk/rct-property-services) ## Tell us what you have _in mind_ Contact Craft Wales: https://craft-wales.co.uk/contact See how we work: https://craft-wales.co.uk/how-we-work Try the concept tool (https://craft-wales.co.uk/concept-builder) ## Structured data ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://craft-wales.co.uk/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "About", "item": "https://craft-wales.co.uk/about" } ] } ```