Benedetti senior ready to hit the high notes

The Scottish-Italian businessman, who is the father of violinist Nicola, was speaking after accounts filed at Companies House showed his first aid kit and medical supplies business narrowed its losses last year.

Benedetti International, which primarily trades as Wallace Cameron and is based in Wishaw, Lanarkshire, made a pre-tax loss of £41,000 in 2010, down from a £102,000 deficit the year before. Turnover fell from £13.7 million to £12.2m but the company increased its margins.

Benedetti said the company had focused on research and development over the past two years, which is set to pay off with the launch of a number of products in the coming months.

He added that, although the home market had been slow, exports were growing and the firm was now selling in 27 countries.

Among the items the company is bringing on to the market is a device to exercise the legs of long-haul flight passengers, in order to reduce the risk of deep vein thrombosis. Benedetti said developing it included costly clinical trials and an international patents process, but the device was attracting attention from chemists around the world.

“It sounds simple but it’s a huge investment,” he said.

The firm has worked with the NHS to develop other products. It is also preparing to launch a new design of re-usable carrier bag. Some of the new products are to be manufactured in Scotland, while more labour-intensive work will be carried out abroad.

Benedetti said: “I only need one of these to take off and it will change everything. In all my businesses I’ve always tried to be different and to innovate.

“I’m still enjoying it and still having ideas.”