Walsall firm's garden sculptures proving a big hit in the UAE

Oliver Wellings Designs is a subsidiary of family business Birchills Automotive, in Green Lane, which has a workforce of 25.

It is making use of scrap steel from the engineering business, which specialises in exhaust components, for sculptures that are sold through its website.

Oliver, the son of Birchills' managing director Andrew Wellings, was working in property until Covid.

He explained that six tonnes of stainless steel scrap was generated each month from the 100 tonnes used in the main business.

The sculptures are being produced by the team's welders to Oliver's designs.

Oliver realised there was a market for garden sculptures and developed a collection of four initially – a stag, wolf, golden eagle and owl.

They can be produced to the size required by customers and the OWD team is also producing bespoke pieces.

"The business is 100 per cent sustainable," said Oliver who said OWD was helping the parent company pivot and diversify.

"Birchills Automotive is also aiming to develop into engineering services solutions rather than mainly exhausts because of the transition to electric vehicles," he explained.

He said that orders for the sculptures were growing all the time and would be helped by a new website oliverwellingsdesigns.co.uk

The engineering business has received a £7,500 grant from Walsall Business Support to upgrade its websites.

Investment in this website is helping launch Oliver’s sculptures to a new global audience.

Oliver Wellings Designs was recently invited by the British Embassy in Dubai to showcase its sculptures at a party being held for the coronation of King Charles. The sculptures have also been showcased at Qatar’s Expo 2023 and will be exhibited at the COP28 climate change conference in Dubai, which starts in November.

Councillor John Murray, chairman of Walsall Business Support, said: “We offer grants for businesses looking to bring growth, skills and employment to the borough of Walsall, with the aim of benefitting as many local people as possible.

“We are really pleased to support Birchills Automotive with this grant. The business is innovative, forward-thinking and committed to its roots in the West Midlands, employing and training local people.

“It is very rewarding to be able to support Oliver with the promotion of his sustainable sculptures. As a Walsall-born designer who attended Walsall Academy, he is a fantastic local success story. There can be no better way to showcase a Walsall business than on an international stage.

“Birchills Automotive is a great example of how a growing business can benefit from a Walsall Business Support grant, and we wish them every success in the future.”