She said, "I wasn't expecting to be a company director at my age, but
it feels great to take control of our futures."
Mr Watson said, "The legacy of the owners' hard work can be carried on
by the employees. For them it's a great challenge and one they can meet
effectively as a co-operative."
The deal was made possible through loans from Finance Wales and
Co-operative and Community Finance.
DLT is the latest employee buyout the centre has facilitated in recent
years. Landmark deals include PrimePac Solutions in Ebbw Vale and - the
biggest to date in the UK - Tower Colliery.
Mr Watson believes that too many businesses either close or have a
spate of job losses when an owner decides to move on.
He is adamant more businesses in Wales could be saved each year.
Throughout the UK, 45,000 principal stakeholders seek to withdraw from
a company each year. Seven out of 10 British businesses are family
owned, and in Wales the figure is closer to 80%.
According to the Department of Trade & Industry, 30% of business
closures could be due to the lack of a suitable successor and business
successions are 150% more successful than new start-ups.
A report funded by the Assembly Government with European Union backing,
named Leaving the Legacy: Business Succession and Acquisition in Wales,
concluded: "Employee buyout should be encouraged as a viable route to
succession to ensure skills and experience are secured within the
business and jobs are safeguarded."
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