A Sheffield firm has doubled its turnover in two years and won new contracts with larger clients after taking part in a local design initiative.
Interior Surfaces designs, manufactures and installs work surfaces for clients who include Pizza Hut, Centre Parcs, York University, and Sheffield Children's Hospital.
The Burton Road company wanted to boost knowledge of its brand so that it could
win more contracts from large construction companies.
So, it signed up for the South Yorkshire Design Works programme, a three year pilot project, run by Business Link in conjunction with the Design Council and funded by the European Union and Yorkshire Forward, to show smaller companies that design could be a stimulus for growth. The programme - which has now run its course - put the company in touch with one of its design associates before helping it to find and fund the work of a design agency.
"When I first met the design associate I expected questions relating to colours and fonts," said Interior Surfaces chairman, Arthur Mackenzie.
"Instead they asked me about financial and business-related matters. The project has totally transformed my view of marketing and branding."
Interior Surfaces teamed up with Huddersfield-based agency, The Engine Room, which created a new strong, highly visible identity for the firm, rolled its brand out across its website, literature and stationery and then designed tactical marketing campaigns.
Interior Surfaces sales manager, Zoe Dickinson, said: "The Engine Room have exceeded our expectation of working with a design agency.
"The figures speak for themselves. The Engine Room have brought a sense of what we are able to achieve, backed up by solid design ideas which have transformed our image, not just externally, but within the business too."
Following the re-brand, Interior Surfaces' turnover doubled from £1.2 million to £2.4 million within two years, exceeding the company's five year plan.
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