Computer generated growth for Fylde business

A creative CGI company from Fylde is growing and creating further jobs in the North West, with the help of free business support and funding.

Westby-based Realtime:UK develop CGI films and applications to promote the products of clients within the gaming, broadcast and automotive industries. Clients have included well known brands such as Microsoft, Sony and Aston Martin.

The company is growing to meet demand, recently opening a second office in the heart of Manchester and recruiting a further 10 digital artists.

To help it grow and become more competitive, Realtime:UK received £35,000 in partial grant funding from Regenerate Pennine Lancashire through programmes supported by the Regional Growth Fund and European Regional Development Fund. Their bid was supported by Fylde Borough Council.

The support is helping Realtime:UK obtain new computer workstations, servers and rendering hardware to speed up the processing of complex animations. Regenerate also provided advice and funding for the development of an online system that enables users to customise a car before they buy it, right down to the personalisation of seat stitching and gear stick. The application is being used by Aston Martin.

Tony Prosser, managing director at Realtime:UK, said: "The new upgrade and support from Regenerate will help us with our growth plan, which is to complete jobs at a larger scale, more quickly than before. I don’t want Realtime to be in a position where we need to say 'no' to high profile contracts.

“People tend to see businesses in the North as being underdogs to those in London. As a Lancashire grown business, this perception has actually given us a greater hunger to be truly world class. We no longer think on a national basis and have been successful working with clients in places such as North America, Belarus and Germany.”

David Wright, policy and performance manager at Regenerate, said: “The support we have given Realtime:UK will help them take on additional work, which will secure jobs and create further opportunities for both the company and its staff. We can help businesses across Lancashire with projects that will help them grow, such as the attainment of new technology, machinery or property.” Mark Evans, head of planning and regeneration at Fylde Borough Council, said: "We would always support the growth and development of companies such as Realtime:UK, who create high value employment within rural areas. They are in a fast paced, ever-changing industry and the grant funding they have received from Regenerate will help them adjust to stay ahead of the competition.”