Welsh Harp Makers

Consultancy enables businesses to use University expertise to help generate commercial success.

One such case, cited as an exemplar of good practice in the Government's Lambert Review of University-Business Collaboration, produced for the Chancellor of the Exchequer, involves experts from two academic Schools, who have helped to revolutionise a small business — improving production processes and creating new jobs.

Experts from Cardiff Business School and Cardiff School of Engineering were called in to help West Wales harp-maker Allan Shiers improve production at his workshop.

They carried out a manufacturing analysis, identifying areas where the production process could be automated. Additionally a change in the materials used in the harp has shortened the manufacturing time without compromising the sound quality.

Thanks to this breakthrough, Mr Shiers is developing a community business, which will produce high-quality Concert and Celtic harps much more quickly and at lower cost.

His West Wales company, Harp Makers, was producing one Concert harp and one Celtic harp per year, as well as carrying out repair work. Thanks to the University’s expertise, and with grant aid from Help Wales and Ceredigion County Council, he aims to produce up to 125 Celtic harps and 15 Concert harps per year, selling at approximately 50% of the current price for hand made instruments.

More importantly the company has already created four highly skilled, well-paid jobs in an area that has seen its manufacturing infrastructure degenerate in the past.

The relatively low cost of production also means harp-playing will become more accessible.

Further Information
Welsh Harp Makers / Telynau Teifi
Cardiff Business School
Cardiff School of Engineering

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