Empowering Echoes: Tales from The (Pop) Factory

Porth is a town of some 6,000 people located in the Rhonda Valley, the former coal mining region of South Wales. In 1897, two local grocers, William Evans and William Thomas, opened a factory, the Welsh Hills Works, in Porth to carbonate and bottle water as they were concerned that the miners were drinking too much alcohol. While the water did not prove popular with the miners, when fruit juices were added, it did prove popular with their families, and the venture grew rapidly, eventually changing its name to Corona and selling its fizzy drinks (soda pop) through 87 factories across the U.K. In 1987, Corona became part of the Brit Vic Group, and the Porth Pop Factory was closed. However, in 1997, Emyr Afan, a graduate in Welsh and History from Bangor University, and his wife, Mair Afan Davies, launched Avanti Media, a TV production company.

“Avanti is Italian for ‘go for it’ and we wanted to create that type of culture”- Emyr Afan

While driving through the valleys of South Wales one wet Sunday afternoon looking for premises for the business, they came across the empty and almost derelict former Corona Pop Factory. “It was a great building with a great atmosphere” says Emyr. “Avanti had always operated in the field of music and I made pop, albeit of a different kind, but it started to make sense and I could quickly see how this could become The Pop Factory”.

On September 5^th 2000 The Pop Factory was formally opened by the international recording artist Tom Jones, a “local” boy from Pontypridd  3.2 miles away who has sold over 100 million records worldwide and was knighted by the Queen in 2006 for his services to music. The whole ethos of the Factory was to permit the local youth to hone their talents and develop their careers and, as Tom Jones remarked, “If the Pop Factory had been open when I was a boy…I might not have had to have left home and go to London to be noticed”.

Over the years The Pop Factory and Avanti were highly successful not just at attracting high profile national and international recording stars to South Wales but in creating highly successful Welsh pop groups and bands. As Emyr says “we believe we’ve inspired kids to make the best of themselves. It is all about empowerment…”

In 2012 The Pop Factory¹ was bought by a 33-year-old South Wales Charity, Valley Kids, that works with disadvantaged children and families. As the Valley Kids co-founder, Richard Morgan, observed “We are committed to changing the lives and outlook of young people by offering them experiences and skills in the creative industries”.

Meanwhile Avanti has gone from strength to strength. Apart from winning awards it has changed its brand to Afanti, employs 70 people and has offices in Cardiff, London and Manchester. Also, in January 2020 they bought back Sky Vision’s 50% share in the venture so are once again a family business. As such they put people first and they “prioritise employee experience, nurture talent and encourage progress.” For them, “money is the by-product of a happy, healthy and engaged team”.

Emyr and Mair² have created a highly profitable media business that has cared for its employees and the community, and preserved both  the man-made environment and the cultural heritage of the area. It is a harmonious enterprise that addresses SDGs 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), 10 (Reduced Inequalities), 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and 15 (Life on Land).Through its training programmes it has also contributed to SDG 3 (Quality Education).

Note

1. Now known as The Factory, the building is a cultural community centre and multi -functional venue with meeting rooms, an art gallery, studios and local businesses.
2. Emyr and Mair have also created a small holiday complex, Whitesands Beach Cottages, at Whitesands Bay in Pembrokeshire. It comprises a series of restored  cottages and  a creative meeting space, The Cowshed, where “imagination, education and creativity can flourish”.

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