Funding boost fires up The Engine Room

DESIGN agency The Engine Room has secured a business loan from Finance Yorkshire to help it expand.

Darren Evans, founder and design director at the Huddersfield company, said: “Running a design company is a tough game, but we’ve managed to survive and prosper over the last couple of years by honing our focus to just two key areas for our clients; the first is differentiation and the second is return on investment.

“Our turnover has increased, our export sales have risen from 0% to 25% and our staff numbers have doubled in less than 18 months.”

The company recently hired Design Council design associate Lesley Gulliver, who added: “We have exciting plans for the future and this injection from Finance Yorkshire will help us significantly. We’re clear on our vision; for us, growth isn’t just about size. We want to manage our growth to ensure we retain our high service levels, our customer focus, our creative edge and our attention to detail in terms of our clients’ business objectives.”

Ian Atkinson, investment manager at Finance Yorkshire, said: “The creative and digital sector is a key market for Finance Yorkshire and we are pleased to support the future growth plans of The Engine Room.”

The investment sum was not disclosed.