Member Article

North East awards manufacturer grows with funding

A North East awards manufacturer is investing in a new design department as part of a growth drive.

Trendsetting Awards received funding from Yorkshire Bank that has allowed them to launch a new e-commerce website and 300 page catalogue, as well as a design department.

Support came from Yorkshire Bank’s Newcastle Financial Solutions Centre, under its Investing for Growth initiative.

Trendsetting was founded in 1978 by former Newcastle United FC and Northern Ireland midfielder, John Cowan, and supplies a wide range of sports and corporate awards.

As part of Trend International Group, the firm has posted three years of growth, and is well ahead of its five-year expansion plan which aims to achieve £6m turnover by 2014.

Trendsetting Awards managing director, John-Paul Cowan, 36, who succeeded his father in 2008 after a successful management buyout, said: “Yorkshire Bank’s Newcastle FSC has provided us with a structured funding package that is helping us accelerate our five-year growth plan.

“We have moved our trophy and awards design facility to Newcastle from the Far East, meaning the designs are carried out in the UK where there is a better understanding of the needs of the end-user.

“Our growth strategy is putting us up with the market leaders by enabling us to stock up to 3,500 products. This eliminates the risk of having to provide substitute items and, in 98 per cent of cases we can deliver to retailers the next day, if orders are placed by 3pm.”

Trendsetting Awards has 55 staff and has its core business in the UK, but also supplies awards and trophies throughout Europe, Africa and The Middle East.

Yorkshire Bank’s Newcastle FSC business partner, David Gilroy, said: “Trendsetting Awards is among the market leaders in its sector, and has plans for impressive growth. We’re pleased to be helping them to grow and create jobs in the North East.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .