- Welcome to the Merthyr Tydfil Institute for the Blind
- Call Us : (01685) 370072
- Mon-Thurs : 8am-4pm, Fri: 8am - 2pm
- Our Location
- Unit 4, Triangle Business Park, Pentrebach, Merthyr Tydfil, CF48 4TQ
- Send Us An Email
- info@mtib.co.uk
About Us
96 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
We are the oldest active manufacturer in Merthyr Tydfil, having opened in 1923. 2023 will be our centenary.
FLEXIBLE WORKFORCE
We have a multi-skilled and committed workforce, and are able to move quickly to adapt to our customers' needs.
LARGE FACTORY SPACE
We have a 20,000 sq ft factory floor, and have invested heavily in state-of-the-art equipment and training to keep up with the changing times
Our History
MTIB began as a sheltered workshop for 14 blind miners. Later it became a registered charity, the blind and partially sighted workers weaved baskets, knitted socks and made brushes. We also acted as government agents, being appointed for the welfare of blind people within the Borough of Merthyr Tydfil and started to receive legislated funding from local government.MTIB began as a sheltered workshop for 14 blind miners. Later it became a registered charity, the blind and partially sighted workers weaved baskets, knitted socks and made brushes. We also acted as government agents, being appointed for the welfare of blind people within the Borough of Merthyr Tydfil and started to receive legislated funding from local government.
A change in the law meant that people with any recognised disability could be employed to assist the blind people in carrying out their work. In turn, this enabled new products to be manufactured, expanding both our portfolio of products, and number of customers we could service.
A fire at the workshop at Pontmorlais meant that MTIB had to relocate to the site at Maesgwynne, Cefn Coed. We also operated a shop at the top of Pontmorlais that sold products we made in the factory, directly to the public. MTIB developed its supported placement scheme, placing individuals with local organisations who provide them with training, employment and allowed them the opportunity to develop personally. MTIB achieves the Investors in People standard in its 75th anniversary year and wins the People Development Prize at the Wales Quality Awards, sponsored by the Employment Services. MTIB is one of the finalists in the Western Mail Business Awards.
MTIB moves to a new state-of-the-art premises in Triangle Business Park, Pentrebach, as part of our European Regional Development Fund-financed Blueprint for the Future project. The aim of the project was to expand our ability to provide more training and employment opportunities for the disadvantaged and more vulnerable in our society, the disabled, promoting social inclusion by equipping them with the necessary skills to integrate them into mainstream employment. It was exceptionally successful, surpassing all targets and expectations.
Our contract to deliver the Department of Work and Pensions WORKSTEP scheme in South Wales and the South West was a major success for the company, moving from servicing approximately 40 clients with disabilities, to over 280 on our books.
Notable successes included winning a Local Employer Partnership prize in the Partnership Works category, and a win in the Small to Medium Enterprise category in the learndirect Achievement Awards, as well as an excellent overall Grade 2 result in our inspection from Estyn.
The change from WORKSTEP to the new Work Choice programme sees an entirely new way of working for the company, and we have positioned ourselves to expand our provision going into the future. We have done this by investing capital into new additional training facilities as well as additional training staff.
MTIB currently directly employs over 50 people at its headquarters, who make frames for the furniture industry, timber and card/fibre fabrication and upholstered buttons, as well as the administration of the new Work Choice employment scheme. We remain the oldest active manufacturer in the town of Merthyr Tydfil and its surrounding areas.
We are keen to work any company or organisation that approaches commitment to persons with disabilities in the same way we do, and we have a skilled and committed workforce who are flexible enough to change with the times.
Customer Testimonials
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Allien JohnCalifornia
We have been working with MTIB for nearly 10 years, in that time we have introduced many new ranges & developed them with the help of MTIB to improve the manufacturing process by cutting out necessary parts, to make the easier for us to work with in upholstery & assembly. Through the various changes that both companies have gone through we have always found everyone at MTIB to have been very helpful & supportive always willing to make a positive contribution.
Paul FieldingNomique
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Yantara AdamCalifornia
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Jessica keriCalifornia
Disability should not be a barrier to employment