[ 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 ]
Thirty years in the trade.
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.
[ 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
[COVER AMOUNT TO BE CONFIRMED]
DBS checked installers
DBS checks are in place.
Installation in school holidays
[TO BE CONFIRMED]
Risk assessments and method statements
[TO BE CONFIRMED]
Site safety and segregation
[TO BE CONFIRMED]
Guarantee on our work
[TO BE CONFIRMED]
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.
Film and television
The workshop has made pieces for DreamWorks and Granada Studios.
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 Juniors
- Hendre Infants
- Darran Park Primary
- Cwm Ifor
- Cwm Gwyddon
- Maesybryn Primary
- Cwm Derwen
- Our Lady and St Michael's Catholic Primary
- Pont Sion Norton
- Maes Y Morfa
- Ysgol Y Felin
- Ysgol Penalltau
- Hendredenny Primary
- Ty Sign Primary
- Pontllanfraith Primary
- Ysgol Bro Preseli
- Little Einsteins Nursery
- Hendre Juniors
- Hendre Infants
- Darran Park Primary
- Cwm Ifor
- Cwm Gwyddon
- Maesybryn Primary
- Cwm Derwen
- Our Lady and St Michael's Catholic Primary
- Pont Sion Norton
- Maes Y Morfa
- Ysgol Y Felin
- Ysgol Penalltau
- Hendredenny Primary
- Ty Sign Primary
- Pontllanfraith Primary
- Ysgol Bro Preseli
- Little Einsteins Nursery
Projects completed for these organisations.
[ Accreditations ]
Credentials and accreditations.
We are working towards ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.
Eisteddfod a'r Celfyddydau
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.