Jobs safeguarded at commercial print firm
Thirteen jobs have been safeguarded after a family commercial printing company secured £60,000 in funding to build future growth.
Charisma Design & Print, based in Tyseley, received funding from the Midlands Engine Investment Fund (MEIF), Small Business Loans fund to assist with working capital and cashflow following an application managed by BCRS Business Loans.
Founded by director Ray Gilliland in 1991, Charisma Design & Print predominantly supplies printed collateral to the hotel sector ranging from branded key cards to admin stationery and conference signage.
The company, which employs 13 people, works with leading international hotel and hospitality brands with Ray’s son Andrew Gilliland appointed as director while his daughter Joanne manages the sales and marketing.
With the impact of Covid-19 pandemic and the temporary closure of the hospitality and hotel sectors, Charisma Design & Print will use the funding to continue to rebuild the company to pre-lockdown levels of revenue and profitability, protecting all the roles.
Ray Gilliland said: “After securing funding from BCRS and MEIF, Charisma Design & Print will continue our recovery having seen the Covid-19 pandemic effectively shut down the hotel sector which has made up much of our client base for many years.
“Having had to make redundancies and place staff on furlough, we have been rebuilding our business as travel and hospitality move back to normal levels. Our products are used by hotel guests throughout some of the largest international groups, from menus to back of house admin collateral. As an established family company, we can now look forward thanks to the funding support.
“Having seen the massive impact of a bad year upon our business BCRS worked with us throughout a thorough process and took the time to get to know our business. We appreciate the MEIF team supporting Charisma Design & Print as it has put us in a better position to go out and win new business at the same time as seeing our traditional hotel client base gradually return.”
Louise Armstrong, senior business development manager at BCRS Business Loans, said: “We were delighted to be able to provide the funding which the Charisma Design & Print team needed to re-establish their business after seeing events out of their control impact their all-important hotel customer base during the pandemic.
“BCRS Business Loans are committed to making a positive economic impact so we are pleased all 13 roles will be protected as the business rebuilds.
“Having looked at what Charisma Design & Print had achieved pre-Covid, we could see the potential to support them to get back to those levels. They have been through a testing time so we were pleased to help such an established family business.”
