Thank you to GBSLEP for another fantastic case study from another successful recipient of their Pivot and Prosper Grant scheme. Read on to find out how Icon Exhibitions are adapting and pivoting during the pandemic…
OUR BUSINESS
Icon Exhibitions and Display Ltt design, manufacture and install exhibition stands from their warehouse in Cannock, in the heart of the West Midlands. Currently celebrating their 25th year in business, Icon Exhibitions have constructed stands throughout the UK and Europe
IMPACT OF COVID-19
When COVID began to impact business back in February, Icon Exhibitions had an Arctic that was parked on an exhibition car park out in Cologne ready to go and ready to build – it was at that particular moment that they were told the event would not go ahead, and they didn’t get chance to unload the vehicle. Ever since then, they have lost show after show after and have been unable to work.
“We are still now losing shows going forward into January and February,” says Managing Director Wayne Ball.
In order to survive, Icon Exhibitions were unfortunately forced to lose a number of colleagues. For the past 7 months, they have been running on 5% of their turnover.
“Our company is 25 years old, we’ve gone through many things together; we want to be here for another 25 years, and we can be,” explains Wayne.
PIVOT AND PROSPER SCHEME
Icon Exhibitions have used the funding from the GBSLEP Pivot and Prosper scheme to purchase a new machine which allowed them to enter new markets away from exhibitions.
“We’ve used the grant to develop a range of custom furniture for campervans. Once we’ve put together a design and put it onto the machine, we can repetitively keep churning them out as many times as we want. The work is all done in the design, in the initial stages and now we can keep going and hopefully get icon to a successful path once again.”
Watch the video courtesy of GBSLEP!
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