We are proud to be a small company in North Wales passionate about the products we make and our customers who use them.

Our aim is to design and produce alternative campervans that are simple, practical and responsible.

2004 – 2014 The full story so far from founder Iwan Lloyd Roberts Bsc

Amdro is based on passion for design, the environment and the outdoors. With a love for enterprise, a degree in industrial design and experience of designing motorhomes and specialized caravans it was only natural that I would set up in business making campervans for people that love the outdoors. In 2004 I took a leap of faith and setup amdro. I knew with the passion and drive for doing the things I enjoy most that I could make it work.  Aided by a welsh startup grant, family loans and a wife with a job, amdro was born in the bedroom office. The idea was out of the box to design and make a removable modular system that would turn vans into vans for camping. having seen all the vans around Snowdonia with hashed up arrangements I knew there was a market. The only way to show people my idea was to actually go and make one. So I got a small loan to buy an ex lease VW van and set about designing and building modular units to go in. Getting my hands on some birch plywood and a jigsaw work had begun. Sheepswool seamed the natural choice for insulation and sound proofing being surrounded by sheep. This was pioneering stuff. Sheepswool is now widely used in the conversion world which I’m quite proud of. That first van got me my brochures, website and first job to convert a van. The first camper sold on ebay. I remember standing in Bangor train station as I waved the first campervan off to Bristol with a bankers draft in my hand and a big smile on my face. This was it amdro had begun…

… and the money went back to buy a better van. This time an ex aa transporter. A TV. Company that filmed Wheeler Dealers saw the website and wanted to use the amdro modular units in doing up a VW for the show. Great opportunity for some free advertising. 

Modular units were selling well for all sorts of vans as kits and as part of camper conversions. I had taken on two staff and moved from the bedroom office and driveway and into a premises in Caernarfon. On a steep learning curve in business we were busy enjoying a business that wasn’t sustainable. The crunch came when an unexpected £6000 bill came and then the landord wanted to double the rent on a 6yr lease. It was a time of panic but I wasn’t giving up lightly. I sold our Red VW campervan to pay off the bill and decided to move back home to work with low overheads.Having had child number 3 by this point the option of the office  in the bedroom was out so the old veg patch was put aside to a log cabin office. An old caravan was bought and stripped out as a mobile storage and the garage was taken over. I turned what was a threat into a new opportunity. It was time to use the 4yrs experience of making and using campervans to design something new. With the aid of a Welsh Assembly design and development grant and a sandwich student from Loughborough Uni we set out on a 6month project to design a completely new campervan. From floor to furnishings we would were able to provide the complete conversion as a kit or convert in house (or on drive) 

The new amdro angel was, and still is a big hit. Anyone that sees its simplicity but truly practical design is taken over by what we call the angel effect. But in these instant times the instant drop in camper in a car is moving to the front..

Alongside the angel a new smaller camper was evolving. The jump conversion made in 2004 which was two modular units and a bench in a Kangoo had evolved into a boot bed and then into the boot jump. All developed to meet a demand from the customer. A customer liked the jump but wanted to keep the back seats in their Berlingo and really they just wanted a bed. So the boot bed was developed. Then came another customer that loved the boot bed but would still like somehwere to sit and somewhere to cook. So the boot bed base was split to form a seating area and a pullout cooker. The idea was posted on facebook and 10 boot jumps were sold. But hang on were not making them yet! The momentum on the boot jumps didnt stop with the demand initially outweighing are ability to make them fast enough. To meet the demand instead of buying in sheets of Birch Plywood from Latvia and CNC machining ourselves it made sense to get the wood cut and finished by the experts in Latvia before it was sent to us. This way there was no extra mileage on the wood and we could keep up with demand. So this is where were at. We are now developing and evolving the boot jump and other products to go with it such as the boot tent. Design in fabric, thats a new one on us that were enjoying.

So after 10 year were still designing and making removable units to make cars and vans into campervans, watch this space!!

2014 Sales of the boot jumps have more than doubled and we a gearing up to supply the increasing demand. In September we took on a new apprentice John who is working with Grant to increase production. Delyth made the big step of resigning from her NHS job to join the amdro family business full time. Delyth is developing and managing a new stock system to keep everything under control.  In November we got the keys to a large storage space so we can produce and hold more stock. The angels have continued to be popular both as DIY kit and fully fitted. The boot tents are now in production all made within the UK. The New VW T5 Kombi System design is developing well and hope to be officially launched in 2015.

2015 The new production workshop has been kitted out with racking for the boot jump stock. Joe joined the amdro team as a CNC machininst together with the CNC. The CNC enables us to get products to market quicker by making our own prototypes and developing new products. John has finished his apprenticeship and was nominated apprentice of the year. John is now a full time member of the production team. Sales of boot jumps has continued to grow and the new Kombi jump is available made to order. 

2016 An eventful year. The boot jump market has continued to grow as more boot jumps get out in use the more people are seeing them. The new Kombi jump is getting established and also growing. Our market in the EU has grown significantly with 12% of sales to EU. We were saddened at the vote to leave the EU and feel we will have some extra challenges ahead. With the increasing number of units in production we made a very difficult decision, but believe to be the right one, to concentrate solely on the design and manufacture of the furniture units. Iwan has enjoyed being hands on with the van conversions since the beginning and was hard to let go. But it was time to get back to the drawing board and focus on developing new designs and managing the growing company. Our expertise lies with the production of units. With the amdro boot jump truly established we are seeing more companies making similar units. Rest assured amdro boot jump is the original and best. We are innovators not imitators and will be leading the way in the next innovation. We had a very exciting development. For a few years we have been actively looking for premises  of our own or a bit of development land where we can build a unit for the long term future of amdro. An opportunity came up where an old Slate Mill industrial plot of land became available in Caernarfon. Not only a great place to develop a unit but also planning permission for a campsite. After months of deliberation and research we decided to go for it and on 1st Septemeber we were handed the keys. We have all enjoyed the quieter winter months working on the land and its now starting to take shape. To see the developments check out the Glan Morfa facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/GlanMorfaEcoCampsite/

2017 Product design and development is in full swing. The kombi bed range has expanded to include a full width bed on the double seat and a full width bed on the triple kombi bench.  Also a wheel unit to go opposite the kombi jump creating more storage and a space to sit. We have also designed a new bed system for the VW Transporter Shuttle SWB. Where the bed attaches to the rear seat. 

The boot jump has also been developed as a single bed versions the boot jump solo. The boot jump now tried and tested in the Grand Tourneo Connect. The range of cars is growing.

The land development is going well with the land having been raised and a wildflower meadow sewn. The old slate works managers cottage is being rebuilt. 

2018 The wheel unit was developed to go with the kombi jump. Also through mass prototypes the new window stores for Berlingo / Partner 09-2018 was launched. Adding extra storage to the boot jump using up empty space in the window cavity

The origo alcohol cooker were discontinued so we set about finding an alternative and re-developing the units we have that were designed around the cooker. All alcohol stoves were discontinued meaning we would have to move to a gas. We wanted a quality stove that was easy and safe to use and environmentally friendly as possible. The Primus Stove fitted the bill. With great environmental credentials and a well designed well made product that’s easy to use and clean. It gives an efficient two burners with built in wind shield. It can also be lifted out for use away from the camper. To keep with gas regulations the gas canister is unscrewed to store. We designed a easy to use gas canister drawer that slides out only when the drawer is extended. The canister is quickly screwed in place. The drawer can only be closed if the gas canister is disconnected.

We said goodbye to Joe has moved back to his passion for building climbing walls it was great to have him as part of team amdro . Then we said hello to Joel

New Berlingo is being launched which is very exciting. Also together with the newly named Peugeot Rifter, and Vauxhall Combo Life. To get our hands on one as quick as possible to start developments we placed our order for the new Berlingo which was delivered just before Christmas. Now the work begins to design a new boot jump specific for this new car. 80% of The original boot jump went to the Berlingo or Partner cars so we decided it was worth making the most of the new car and design a unit specific to it.

2019 We made the difficult decision to stop the production of the angel kit as it stands as the cooker and other parts are discontinued. Also more customers wanting the lift in modules that don’t require any traditional conversion.

New boot jump 2020 design prototyping and development and launch at the Keswick Mountain Festival in May which was very exciting. Sales start off well with customers collecting their first boot jump 2020 so we can monitor any issues and make any improvements . An avid photographer and travelling couple start their own Instagram for Billy Berlingo with boot jump 2020.

2020 It was all looking good. We spent the winter building up stock ready for the season to hit. Instead we were hit by Covid-19. The new website which has been under development for months is polished off for launch in April. The new platform brings us up to date with new systems and makes it an all round better experience for the customer.

2021-2022 Its been a bit of a roller coaster but in the words of Dafydd Iwan “Da ni yma o Hyd!” .

We are excited to have our own park4night where you can come and park up within walking distance into the Unesco Heritage Caernarfon on the edge of Eryri. There are 7 pitches in total, 2 with electric hook up. We have a compost toilet, gray waste point and mains water refill facilities.

2023 Glan Morfa continues to develop. In May we opened our first Glamping Unit which is set in the beautiful wild flower meadow overlooking the river. It’s been a big hit so far with it’s out door bathing and off grid living. Our glamping and campervan visitors are enjoying being surrounded by nature and wild swimming in the river Seiont with the added benefit of being able to walk into town. Progress is also being made on the toilet block, watch this space for an opening date. The Boot Jumps and Kombi beds continue to be very popular, all now made on site.