Growth on the cards for sign manufacturer
An industrial printer and sign maker in Staffordshire has doubled its capacity after investing in new high-tech machinery after securing a £81,000 hire purchase facility.
Cannock-based Kazoo PSG creates custom signage for businesses, from brochures and leaflets to large-scale banners and exhibition displays. The five-figure investment into a new high-tech Kongsberg cutting table means the business can now produce up to 1,000 advertising boards per day.
The business has already begun to enjoy the benefits of the extra capacity that the faster machine has added to its operations, meeting increased demand from its growing client base whilst also reducing the amount of waste produced.
During the pandemic, Kazoo turned its focus towards supporting the NHS and in the first few months of lockdown it created and delivered 40,000 visors to frontline staff.
It also used the period of quieter trading to invest in its printing operation thanks to a CBILs acquired through Lloyds Bank. The new cutting machine that Kazoo has just installed means that these upgraded printers can now be run at full capacity – 10 times faster than its operation before the pandemic.
Kazoo has increased its annual turnover by 40%t since to 2019, and the firm is now looking to hire 10 new staff over the coming year.
Simon Talbot, director at Kazoo PSG, said: “There’s no doubt that there have been moments of uncertainty over the last two years, but we recognised an opportunity to take stock and assess how we could grow. With the help of Lloyds Bank, we’ve been able to invest in those opportunities and it’s paying off.
“It’s also meant that we were able to give something back and support the frontline staff whose efforts have been so crucial to saving lives. The next 12 months look set to be our biggest yet and I’m excited to see us develop and support new businesses with their marketing and advertising needs.”
Vijay Chouhan, relationship manager at Lloyds Bank, said: “Kazoo is the perfect example of a business that used the downtime the pandemic created productively. Investment in new machinery and new staff was brave during a period of uncertainty but is testament to the vision of Simon and the team to identify opportunities and areas for growth.
“The investment in new machinery via this new hire purchase agreement, shortly after the CBILs loan demonstrates the breadth of funding options available to firms looking to drive growth. At Lloyds Bank, we’ll continue to be by the side of businesses to support their ambitions and develop solutions tailored to them.”
