AN AWARDING EXPERIENCE

Neil Eames Regional development manager – south central and south west FSB

There is no doubt that 2023 has got off to a very challenging start for many Cornish small businesses and there is obviously a lot of uncertainty about the months ahead. So, it is important, where we can, to try to recognise there are also some very good things happening in our small business community.

One example that shows local businesses doing their best to stay positive amidst the economic storm is how they have reacted to our FSB Small Business Awards – the UK’s biggest competition for SMEs and the self-employed.

The south west regional contest has seen a near-record amount of entries and we have witnessed a particularly large amount of interest from Cornwall. We were overwhelmed by the amount of high quality entries that came in from businesses of all types in the county and it meant Cornwall had a larger amount of nominees than many other major south west areas including Dorset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Bristol.

Freedom Signs starts 2023 with significant investment in the business.

A business born from the ashes of the Covid pandemic is firing into its third year of trading by heavily investing in new equipment.

Freedom Signs, based in Redruth, has recently acquired an additional stateof-the-art printing system. This is in addition to opening new premises at Cardrew Industrial Estate in 2022 and purchasing other plant machinery and equipment.

The investment came off the back of a hugely successful year for Freedom Signs, which expanded its portfolio.

This included a complete signage rebrand installation for Truro and Penwith College, as well as working on the hangar and wayfinding signage for Spaceport Cornwall, alongside other local companies.

Tom Moran, Future Skills and Business Partnership Manager at Truro and Penwith College, said: “Freedom Signs has been an extremely valuable part of our new Future Skills

Great companies from Truro, Penzance, Launceston, India Queens, St Columb Major, Bude and Redruth all made our various shortlists along with three individuals – Jennifer Webb, of St Austell, and Gemma Heard, of Penzance, (shortlisted as best self-employed/freelancer) and Jason Ratcliffe, from Hayle, who was nominated for the Young Entrepreneur of the Year.

Our various nominees represented businesses from the food and drink sector, manufacturing, health and fitness and more and it meant the Cornish flag was flying in no less than eight of the 12 category shortlists. That is some achievement.

What this shows is that yes, times are tough but there are still plenty of business owners in Cornwall prepared to enter highly-competitive awards to show how proud they are of what they have achieved so far - and how keen they are to make a mark in the future.

Institute branding. Freedom Signs takes concepts and translates them into clean, visually appealing, and professional graphics that continue to impress. What we like most is that they will take creative risks and think outside the box to deliver a superior product that we are impressed by every time, while still representative to our brand.” www.fsb.org.uk info@freedomsigns.co.uk freedomsigns.co.uk /freedomsignscornwall

Mark Minton, project manager, Mark Williams, installation manager, and Dan O`Riordan, production manager, started Freedom Signs following redundancies as a result of the Covid pandemic.

Freedom Signs has also confirmed new signage projects for spring at the new MRI and Oncology Unit at the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, as well as the second phase of the Marazion to Penzance gateway signage, working in partnership with Cornwall Council.

Mark Minton, said: “We’re adding these new contracts to our impressive list of existing clients, including Tate St Ives, Truro School, Falmouth University, Truro and Newquay BIDs, PK Porthcurno, Goonhilly and Lands’ End.

01209 916198

Jon Hurrell strengthens the senior management team with a wealth of experience gained in a variety of manufacturing environments.

Started by Dean Haney and Jason O’Connell 14 years ago, Sellectronics