Member Article

Northumberland giftware brand safeguards its empire

Haltwhistle-based Tim Foxall, a handmade fun-wooden spatula company, has commended the advice and guidance from the Business & IP Centre Newcastle, which it believes will help safeguard the company’s future growth.

After receiving vital trademark and registered design support, the Northumberland business is urging others in the region to be aware of IP implications this World Intellectual Property Day (Sunday 26 April 2015).

Starting life as a toymaker, Tim Foxall is a master woodworker and for the past three years has been building a spatula empire. Tim’s quirky handmade cooking spatulas, which include a range of animals, instruments and firm favourites such as the ‘Spatula of Liberty’ and ‘Venus de Milo’, are proving hugely popular in the gift and homeware markets.

Using locally-sourced timber, Tim and his staff of three have enjoyed year-on-year growth of 50%, with 10% of sales now via international exports.

Due to this accelerated success, the brand visited the Business & IP Centre Newcastle for help with design protection.

Dominic Brown, business manager at Tim Foxall, explains: “TimFoxall.com has grown significantly in the UK and thanks to the popularity of ‘Brand Britain’ and the uniqueness of our designs, we’ve had excellent UK and international sales, particularly in Europe.

“Intellectual property was an area we knew nothing about, except that it was important to safeguard our brand, so we visited the team at the Business & IP Centre. Not only did we get one-to-one mentoring from the expert in residence who talked us through the IP processes, costs and, implications of not protecting our products, but the staff also linked us with UKTI, who are now advising us on branding for international markets.”

John Musham, manager of the Business & IP Centre Newcastle, adds: “World IP Day is a timely reminder that there is a free resource on the doorstep of regional businesses, which offers practical and robust legal advice.

“Many people dismiss intellectual property as an area not relevant to them, when in truth it can impact all entrepreneurs and businesses. Thinking about IP from day one of business can help safeguard it for the future.”

Based at Newcastle City Library, the Business & IP Centre Newcastle is a partnership comprising Newcastle City Council, Northumbria University and the British Library, with support from the European Regional Development Fund.

Open to anyone, the Centre offers free access to a comprehensive collection of business and intellectual property databases and publications. This includes general start-up advice, information on funding sources, market research, company data, business news and expertise on patents, trade-marks, registered designs and copyright.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Business & IP Centre Newcastle .