A GRAPHIC design and print company is geared for growth after receiving a tailored business support package thanks to The Northern Echo.

County Durham firm Designs Unique won a competition six months ago run by the newspaper in conjunction with SmartSpeed Consulting, one of the region’s leading business consultancies.

The competition offered one firm a chance to be given specific help with growth.

Consett-based Designs Unique, which produces a range of printed items from wedding stationery to packaging and company brochures, was chosen by SmartSpeed managing director Giles Johnston to receive the business help.

Since winning the support package – worth £1,500 – Mr Johnston has spent several half-day sessions with the company’s owners, Graeme and Maccine Hall, to look at ways of taking the business forward.

The business is now geared for growth and is bidding for a number of public sector contracts, which could significantly enhance its turnover.

Mr Johnston said they focused on how to manage time and how to record sales in an easy-to-use system, which can be viewed daily to check targets and progress.

“We looked at all the things they wanted to do, and looked at them in terms of how much work they would need to do to achieve that,” said Mr Johnston.

“The things we worked on were not massive, or even particularly complicated changes, but it’s often the case that it’s the little or simple changes that have the best effects. I am confident they will have a positive effect on Designs Unique.”

Mrs Hall said they were pleased with the impact of Mr Johnston’s work.

“The advice and support was tailored to our individual needs, it was not off-the-shelf advice. Together we examined our systems, which apparently were already fairly good, and then made changes to operate far more efficiently,” she said. “Giles also gave sound advice on how to record our sales.

“We now also have systems in place to take the company to a higher level, we can track orders from the initial contact right through to the thankyou card being sent out at the end of the project.

“The changes were simple, but effective and we are very pleased.”