Des Coote entered the plumbing business in 1952. In 1968 he saw an opportunity to enter the sheet metal market fabricating products for the roofing and plumbing industry.

Des purchased and modified presses from Wyndham Meatworks – originally used to produce tin cans – in order to manufacture gutters, downpipes and other plumbing products.

In the early 1980s, now securely in their expanded Welshpool factory, the decision to manufacture light poles would lead to the sheet metal company outgrowing the plumbing company, with light poles becoming an integral segment of the business. Over 35 years later, A.D. Coote & Co. are still manufacturing a large range of columns, head frames and cages locally from the same Welshpool factory.