Borble sticks to growth plans

27 Sep 2006

Picture Caption (left to right) Gavin Scott and Barry Griffiths have it all taped up.

Borble sticks to growth plans to the tune of half a million

 A North Wales printer of adhesive labels has stuck to its ambitious growth plans after an investment in pioneering hi-tech equipment paid off handsomely.  

 Enterprising Gavin Scott and Barry Griffiths have seen their Rhyl-based firm Borble soar through the half million turnover mark within two years of setting up, building a reputation as innovators within their sector.

 The Denbighshire duo have just been named in Wales’ ‘Hot 100’ companies and are the first in the UK to use the Xiekon 330, a digital printing device, allowing them to fill a gap in the market for personalised short run, just-in-time label printing, wall coverings, banners and borders.

 These unconventional styles of labels and wall coverings are being snapped up by trade printers, businesses, schools and interior design enthusiasts, as well as artists and designers looking for an alternative format to display their work.  Borble is now turning out millions of labels and miles of wall coverings, personalised to customer’s exact specifications. 

 The founders of Borble came across the state of the art equipment during the business planning process, undertaken with the help of Venture Wales, the business support organisation for start up and growth companies across .  During this start up phase the pair also travelled to Europe to test alternative printing techniques and technologies before making the decision to invest £400,000 in the Xeikon 330.

 Borble’s managing director Gavin Scott said: “We knew we had a workable concept so in August 2004 we started to really get to grips with the customers and markets for our products, and looked to Venture Wales to help chart our success.

 “Specialist business advice was crucial in the first six months of business strategy and marketing planning, and it also helped us make the right investment choices to fund the technology that would later give Borble its special competitive edge. 

 “We had a steep learning curve when the press was installed in April 2005. We had to grow sales quite rapidly once established to recover the cost of substantial investment and in the first year we achieved gross sales of £325,000.”

 To date, the company has produced in excess of 5,000 different designs regularly reviews its business plan, tapping into the expertise of their business support adviser who has now become an integral part their team. 

 Venture senior business advisor Maldwyn Jones said: “It didn’t take long to see that Borble had a great product.  Gavin and Barry have an amazing capability of spotting and exploiting gaps in the market, which was a great base from which to work with them to test their business plan, and forecast sales to enable them to far exceed their minimum business case.”

 During September Barry is presenting a paper on digital print applications at the LABEL-EXPO conference in Chicago by special invitation of the press manufacturer Xeikon who also recognise how Borble has applied the technology in the most innovative European example.

 Now in the second year Borble is looking to develop the core business and seek parallel business growth opportunities.