Digital Plus gains cutting edge with move into new headquarters

Leeds-based Digital Plus, which produces large format display graphics for customers such as shopping centres, schools and businesses, is now based in Kirkstall. Its new premises total 10,500 sq ft, and are bigger than its former site in Bramley, which was about 6,000 sq ft.

Its customers include Asda, Morrisons, the National Railway Museum in York and Meadowhall shopping centre in Sheffield.

The company said a “significant upswing in orders for display and exhibition work over the last 12 months”, and its growth plans, led it to purchase these larger self-contained facilities.

Digital Plus has also recently installed a Zund Cutter, an automated cutter, to speed up the finishing of display work. It slices through aluminium, wood and plastics. This represents an investment of £100,000, and, as a result, the firm has employed two new extra production staff.

Chris Stringwell, director of Digital Plus, which now has a total of 18 staff, said the firm’s plan is to double its turnover to £3m within three years. Five years ago the firm’s turnover was about £750,000, he said, with a head count of eight or nine.

He said key growth areas for the company are the retail market and education sector, explaining: “The retail market seems to be the main area of growth. That’s shopping centres, shop chains for example, and the supermarket world is forever revamping. Schools also seem to be a thriving market. As schools become academies they require their own identity.”

Mr Stringwell said the Zund Cutter has “streamlined” how the firm operates, adding: “Prior to this machine, we took a straight edge and a Stanley knife and had to cut out by hand.”

He said the company is focusing on boosting its sales department, adding: “Just prior to the move, we took on a sales director and an extra salesman.

“We now have two salespeople out there on the road.

“We are possibly recruiting an additional sales person and someone for reception/accounts to join the company next year.”

Asked what the key to the company’s growth has been, Mr Stringwell said: “We have been very dedicated and are well known in the industry for quality, excellence and service.”

He said rising energy costs were a challenge for the business, while competition was increasing. But he added the key was to try and stay “one step ahead of the game”.

Digital Plus was founded in 1999 by Mr Stringwell and Owen Russell, who own the company.