Health and safety training provider invests £1.25m in ‘centre of excellence’ in Oldbury

PLT Training, founded by Nicc Bennett in 2006, has expanded and bought a facility in Pearsall Drive, taking the shell of a 82,250 sq ft warehouse and creating a dedicated training space to support more than 10,000 learners every year.

The company has moved its administrative function to the upper floor, while downstairs features classrooms and six purpose-built zones for forklifts, advanced working at height, manual handling, first aid and a unique confined spaces course that includes working through a series of tunnels and fitting breathing apparatus.

It marks a perfect early 20th birthday present for the business, which currently works with more than 1,500 companies nationwide every year, ranging from SMEs and sub-contractors to major employers like Assa Abloy, Arvato SCM, AO Recycling, Williams F1 and Red Bull Racing.

Kath Lang, operations director of PLT Training, said: “We had grown rapidly over the last five years and felt the time was right to look for a larger training space that allowed us to do more delivery at our own facility.

“The space in Oldbury came up and we jumped at the opportunity. It was a pretty blank canvas, which was good…this gave us the chance to shape the training zones exactly how our instructors wanted them, which gives the best learning experience for our clients.

“We’ve taken on an extra couple of people as part of the move and plan for more to join the team of 17 instructors in the new year. The feedback on the new centre from existing and new customers has been great and we’re already planning further enhancements and new capabilities as we go into 2026.”

PLT Training has come a long way since founder Nicc used to spend weeks travelling the country, delivering health and safety sessions for free to convince people and companies that keeping your staff safe was important.

Fast forward nearly 20 years and the Black Country business is one of the leaders in its field, delivering more than 150 different courses at its centre at Oldbury or onsite at more than 1,500 client locations across the UK.

Courses range from COSHH Training/Awareness, First Aid and Fire Marshalling to forklift, plant and work equipment training, such as abrasive wheels and overhead cranes.

PLT's team of expert trainers also deliver leadership and management courses, NEBOSH and IOSH accredited training and support to help employees with recognising mental health struggles and with menopause awareness.

Kath added: “Health and Safety isn’t just about compliance in the workplace. The proactive companies invest in this area to protect their staff, provide the best possible workplace environment and also to boost productivity as there are less incidents and injuries.

“This is where we come into the equation. We can provide one-off courses, or we can deliver a holistic service to clients, walking them through their requirements, delivering the training and also identifying future needs. A lot more businesses are opting to take this approach.

“2025 has been a great year for PLT but we’re not stopping there. Plans have been signed off to introduce overhead crane facilities and PASMA courses at Oldbury, whilst we are looking for acquisition opportunities that could increase our geographic reach.”