Rural Enterprise - It's a very rewarding business

Sep 14 2006 By Sarah Ivison, North East Vision

Twisting metal into unusual trophies is Annemarie Fitzsimons-Keogh's speciality. Now the talented designer has taken her work to America in a bid to expand her company. Sarah Ivison finds out more.

Annemarie Fitzsimons-Keogh has always wanted to run her own business. "I set up my first stall at the age of nine selling bowls I had made from recycled material," said Annemarie, who runs her own company Natural Interventions, making awards and trophies.

Based near Barnard Castle in rural County Durham, her business has an enviable client list that includes blue chip UK companies. Many celebrities have received one of the company's awards.

Annemarie works with various materials including glass but specialises in creative metal sculpture. She has a bank of more than 70 skilled people, including engineers, casters and platers, who are carefully selected to work on specific projects.

Her client base includes more than 100 advertising agencies and companies including the BBC, Xerox, Frankie and Benny's, Prontaprint and Epson and orders have ranged from a one-off sculpture to 7,000 awards for Mercedes Benz.

Many celebrities have been presented with the company's awards, from Redcar paralympic champion Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson to band Franz Ferdinand.

Now the 35-year-old designer has been to the USA and plans to visit India to exploit the potential of new markets and expand the company with the help of Business Link in County Durham.

In Miami, Annemarie picked up two contracts and a number of advertising agencies are adding her services to their websites. She also plans to return to America to New York.

With advice from Business Link account manager John Atkinson, Natural Interventions recently re-developed its website www.awardsonline.co.uk to provide information about the bespoke design service and sell its range and engraving service on line.

"Business Link's support has been invaluable," says Annemarie, who studied 3D design at Newcastle. "The new website has boosted business considerably and we're now ready to exploit the opportunities it has opened up for us.

"We were also helped to access consultants who overhauled our financial management systems. I was linked in to Geoff Young at UK Trade and Investment who has also given us excellent advice."

She added she has had help towards the cost of her trips abroad.

Business has doubled over the past two years for Natural Interventions, set up in 1994, and Annemarie is proud to be a rural business. "When you are working in a creative area it is important that you are happy with your base and, for me, that is in the country," said Annemarie, who lives in Eggleston, Barnard Castle.

"Though I still get a real thrill when I go to London for award ceremonies and see the reaction to our awards. One lady told me that she loved her award so much she re-designed her office around it."

John Atkinson, account manager for Business Link in County Durham, said: "Annemarie runs a highly successful business from a rural area and Business Link has been able to offer support across a number of different business areas.

"We're looking forward to continuing to work with the company as it expands."