Usfor Design and Print is a growing online printing company based in Cornwall specialising in short run digital print.
The company recently brought its whole operation in-house, hiring three designers rather than outsourcing the work. The move has proved a tremendous success with sales growing considerably over the past 6 months. From 2014 to 2015 profits almost doubled:
– Turnover year end 31 March 2014: £221,397, profit £24,684
– Turnover year end 31 March 2015: £293,542, profit £47,636
This is down to a quicker production process, enabling the company to operate like a well-oiled design and printing machine.
During its seven years of operation the business has grown steadily and has a strong turnover track record, with the most pronounced period of growth arriving more recently after the strategic move. Now with more orders and staff to accommodate, the business is raising £65,000 loan investment.
The company will use the funding to take things to the next level (quite literally) in creating a second-floor design studio. This will allow the new designers to move from the production area into a more focused working environment.
The funding will also be used to refinance an existing £15,000 loan.
The business currently brings in monthly sales of circa £30,000 and profit of £5,000. This loan pitch is secured by a Personal Guarantee.
Including the building work, desks and other items as well as new computers, the cost is estimated to be £20,000 plus around £9,000 on a new laminating machine. All the other funds will be used as working capital.
The company previously outsourced design, but now with everything in house, a reassessment of the facilities was made and a new solution was decided upon.
The management team has run Usfor Design and Print Ltd for over 7 years with steady growth each year. The business has a skilled and enthusiastic team with a great can do attitude. Owner David Bruce has a background as a software developer which has enabled him to develop a very slick ordering process that enables the company to offer great prices and a quick turnaround.
The company, now in its 7th year of trading, has a strong trading record and has shown growth year-on-year. It is an honest and stable company and has always made payments on time.
The company specialises in more profitable short runs –therefore it is in a stronger position than most traditional printers who are having to slash prices to get enough work to keep massive overheads paid.
The company prints and processes hundreds of jobs a month mainly for end users direct so they are not exposed to the risks some printers are of loosing one big contract.