Anglezarke Designs continues growth with £40,000 funding

Anglezarke Designs carried out major improvements to its premises and expanded its workforce by 30 per cent after receiving five-figure funding from Lancashire County Council’s Rosebud Micro fund.

The Chorley-based high end glazier is now set to continue growing its £1.5m turnover and 14-strong workforce.

The company was founded in 2010 by Martin Haslam. It manufactures and installs bespoke architectural glazing solutions for residential and commercial buildings, such as schools, universities, retail outlets, public buildings, art galleries and luxury residential properties. Its work has been installed in Manchester City Art Gallery and Lancaster University.

Martin, whose business is based in the Grade II-listed Abbey Mill in Abbey Village, was introduced to Rosebud by Access to Finance North West when Anglezarke Designs was looking for development funding.

He said: “We had just taken on the old mill and needed funding to get it up to the required standard for the high-end customers we were attracting. We required a new showroom and offices, along with additional staff, but this was at the end of the recession when traditional funding wasn’t easy to come by and Rosebud was an ideal solution.”

Rosebud is delivered in association with Boost; Lancashire's Business Growth Hub. Led by the Lancashire LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership) and Lancashire County Council, Boost is supported by funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Martin continued: “The Rosebud funding was critical to our success. It was a catalyst, a shot of adrenalin when we were emerging from the recession that enabled us to complete a lot of work in a short space of time, as well as safeguarding existing jobs and creating new ones. I can’t emphasise enough how important the funding was.

“Now we are in a position where we can look to grow our turnover and workforce still further and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Rosebud to any ambitious business that wants to access funding in order to grow.”

County councillor Michael Green, cabinet member for economic development, environment and planning, said: "Smaller companies have great growth potential and we’re always proud to hear of success stories where Rosebud's involvement has helped to kickstart the company on their next growth stage. "It's also great to hear that companies are growing and creating new jobs for local people, which brings wider economic benefits."