A manufacturer of heavy-duty cable holders around building sites is aiming to enter the European wholesale market over the next year.

Tidi-Cable is hoping to sell its products to companies in Belgium and Holland after boosting annual British sales to more than 120,000 units.

The Strood-based firm makes lightweight hooks and hangers to keep cables off the floor and prevent trip hazards on building sites.

The company was launched in 2012 by Perry Coppen, who came up with the idea during his gap year from studying construction and engineering management at the University of Loughborough.

Today its products have become popular with construction and engineering giants such as Balfour Beatty and BP. The business employs three people, which Mr Coppen hopes to increase as international expansion gains momentum.

He said: “We know there’s a huge market for our products in the UK and now we’re keen to take our idea to the rest of Europe.

“Construction sites have to meet stringent health and safety requirements, and having loose wires around can be a major hazard for workers.

“We know there’s a huge market for our products in the UK and now we’re keen to take our idea to the rest of Europe..." - Perry Coppen, Tidi-Cable

“When I was studying for my degree I spent a lot of time on building sites and realised I could come up with a solution.

“We’ve been growing the business for the past five years. It’s been hard work at times, but I’ve enjoyed every minute and it’s rewarding to see such great sales for the last year.”

To get the business off the ground, Mr Coppen, 26, approached the Start Up Loans Company, which gave him a mentor and a £15,000 loan to cover initial costs like manufacturing his first products and designing the firm’s website.

The company has lent more than £650,000 to 112 entrepreneurs across Medway and more than £8.1 million to 1,291 companies across the county.

Interim chief executive Joanna Hill said: “It’s fantastic to see Tidi-Cable grow from a start-up into a flourishing business.

“Perry has created a simple product solution to a major issue in the construction sector.

“It’s a great example of looking at everyday problems and turning them into a business opportunity.

“We provide funding and mentoring support to get start-ups like this off the ground. It can be a real challenge accessing finance in the early stages of your journey, but help is available.”

Last month, Mr Coppen was visited by Keith Morgan, chief executive of the British Business Bank, the government-owned development bank which runs the Start Up Loans Company.

Mr Morgan also attended a roundtable discussion hosted by the Federation of Small Businesses’ Kent branch.

He said: “Meeting local Kent business owners provided a great opportunity for us to better understand entrepreneurial activity in the region and the challenges businesses face when accessing finance.

“We will take those insights back and see how our programmes might be further developed.

“By helping Kent businesses get the finance they need to start up and realise their growth ambitions, we’re enabling them to create more jobs and contribute to the local economy.”