A grant of £85,000 has helped award winning e-commerce website developers, Purpose Media, expand its business and will create ten new jobs.
The online marketing specialists received the grant from the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership’s Unlocking Investment for Growth (UI4G) programme which, together with the company’s own investment, has helped it purchase 2,200 sq. ft. of new office space, adjacent to its current premises at The Village Business Park in South Normanton, Derbyshire.
The new unit will become the production facility for the website developers to work together and the existing premises will become customer facing, with meeting rooms and demonstration rooms especially redesigned and refitted. The additional space will provide much needed room for expansion and provide local career opportunities for another ten people over the next 12 months.
D2N2’s Unlocking Investment for Growth (UI4G) programme helped Purpose Media expand with an £85,000 grant
Matt Wheatcroft, Managing Director of Purpose Media, said: “The demand for online solutions continues to accelerate and, with this, so has the demand for our services.
“Our need to accommodate an increasing number of specialist and support staff meant that we very quickly outgrew our current premises. Access to the grant has had a significant impact on our business, I am thrilled with how well everything is going.”
The D2N2 UI4G programme has been supported by the Regional Growth Fund and the European Regional Development Fund. UI4G grant awards are given by the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership Investment Panel, chaired by Board member Peter Gadsby. The aim of the fund is to create long term sustainable jobs.
D2N2 Chief Executive David Ralph added: “We’re really pleased that we could help to bring about this vital expansion for Purpose Media and see such an increase in its employee numbers, both this year and over the next 12 months.”
It has been another successful year for Purpose Media who, to the year ending March 2015, reported record growth, having exceeded its turnover target by 66% and increased employee numbers from ten to 20 developers, SEO (search engine optimisation) specialists and support staff.
Other key achievements include winning the ‘Small Business of the Year’ award at the East Midlands Chamber Awards in 2014 and going on to represent the region in the national awards in London.
UI4G is now fully committed and is no longer accepting applications. Grants already approved will create over 400 new jobs and safeguard a further 350. The programme has inspired business owners in the D2N2 area to invest over £20million, alongside the grant support, to grow their businesses.
For media enquiries call Sean Kirby, Communications Officer at the D2N2 LEP, on 01159 578749 or email sean.kirby@d2n2lep.org
