Adobe deal caps a year of growth at Roundhouse

Jan 8 2009 by Andrew Mernin, The Journal

CALIFORNIAN software firm Adobe has recruited the help of a North East digital firm.

The multi-million pound empire behind Photoshop and Flash Player has enlisted experts at Newcastle design agency The Roundhouse to help develop its latest offering.

The news caps a year of growth for the 14-year-old North East firm which saw its annual revenue climb by 20%, or £500,000 in 2008 on the back of a number of major contracts. Its most recent deal is a partnership with Alnwick fishing supplies company Hardy and Greys which is looking to develop its web presence and drive online sales.

Other recent contract wins include a deal to design a website for the Hexham Book Festival which attracts well-known literary names to the market town.

The Roundhouse also designed the artwork and website for London musician Mark Fry’s latest album – his first new release since 1972.

The partnership with Adobe came about because of the way the design company has harnessed the capabilities of Flash Player in its web design projects.

Meanwhile, in the last 12 months the Newcastle firm has been well-represented in Adobe-backed awards.

It landed a globally-recognised Adobe “site of the day” award for its work on the website for the Silver Lining furniture company which designs bespoke furniture for super yachts. It also went on to beat off worldwide competition to reach the semi-finals of the Adobe Max Award for the same project.

Managing director Ian Humpish said: “Adobe has been really impressed with what we are doing and they would like us to work with them ahead of the next release of Adobe Flash.

“The web side of the business represents around 20% of our turnover but it is growing rapidly and we have just taken on four members of staff in the last two months. We seem to have avoided the economic downturn so far although we have to be cautious.”

The Roundhouse has been in operation since the mid-90s as a design agency and launched the web-based arm of the business five years ago.

The company employs 20 people at its headquarters on Times Square, next to Newcastle’s Centre for Life.