Staff and pupils at Padfield Community Primary School had cause for celebration recently as local retail packaging solutions manufacturer, Glossop Cartons, donated a bespoke story chair for pupils of the school.

Manufactured by Crofter Construction Ltd based in Glossop, the chair was donated as part of an on-going commitment by Glossop Cartons to support Padfield Community Primary School each year.

Commenting on the donation, Vicky Every from Glossop Cartons says: “Supporting our local community is very important to us and we’re delighted to be able to donate this very special reading chair to the school.

“I’m sure that the chair will form an integral part of the children’s educational development as they spend many hours engrossed in fascinating stories that are sure to both engage and inspire.”

As part of the celebrations, Sarah Woolley, of Bay Tree Books and Gifts in Glossop, read a number of inspiring and educational stories to the infant classes throughout the morning, which included tales of space and growing, both key themes the pupils are currently learning about.

Mrs Fran Winterbottom, deputy headteacher at Padfield Community Primary School comments: “We are all absolutely delighted with the story chair and would like to thank Glossop Cartons for this very kind donation.

“The children already love it and it marks the beginning of the work we will be doing to create a new garden of imagination and discovery, of which the story chair will be the centrepiece for many years to come.”

Glossop Cartons has proved its superhero credentials, returning home triumphant from a national industry event with a spectacular haul of new business opportunities, with thanks to a secret marketing weapon in the form of fellow Glossop firm, Fig Creative.

Not only did the Padfield based packaging firm win almost 300 “excellent” leads by the end of the Packaging Innovations Show at Birmingham’s NEC, but it also secured a sale on day two.  The show’s organisers claimed “never to have seen anything like it” at an event before, and customers congratulated Glossop Cartons on its strong show presence.

Glossop Cartons had just become the world’s first to confirm a production order for an industry-transforming Highcon Euclid digital cutting and creasing machine, enabling it to slash costs and offer customers faster speeds to market and greater flexibility.  The show was its opportunity to launch this pioneering new product, and it needed to succeed.  So it commissioned its long-standing partner, Fig Creative, on whom it knew it could rely.

At short notice, Fig Creative developed the “Packaging Superheroes – set to transform the packaging industry” theme.  It incorporated the comic-book theme into everything from stand design and leaflets, to the superhero costumes it sourced and cartons for popcorn from an on-stand machine.  Boasting its own team of PR specialists, the consultancy also made sure that visitors to the show arrived eager to visit Glossop Cartons’ stand, by launching a gravity defying pre-show press campaign, achieving blanket editorial coverage across the packaging trade press.

Said Glossop Cartons’ director, Jacky Sidebottom:  “We were absolutely thrilled by the results we achieved at the show and we could not have done it without Fig Creative.  At extremely short notice, they created our theme and artwork and then transformed their ideas into reality, and the pre-show PR campaign was phenomenally successful.  Shows like this are crucial to our business, and it is vital that we fully exploit their marketing potential.  Fig Creative enabled us to do that.  We look forward to working with them again on our next event in London in October.”

Added Fig Creative’s managing director, Helen Duncan:  “The importance of strong, original show marketing can never be underestimated.  The Fig team worked around the clock to deliver a successful solution for Glossop Cartons, and we enjoyed it enormously.  We look forward to working with  them on their next show.”

012 marks sixteen successful years for Glossop marketing company First Impression, who are celebrating their coming of age with an exciting new look and the launch of their Marketing Partners Programme for local businesses.  Piloted with a handful of clients, the newly formed Fig Creative’s innovative partnership-based approach has already reaped serious rewards with one client experiencing a tenfold increase in income in under 12 months.

So what’s their secret? Fig Creative works in partnership with their clients, agreeing marketing objectives and spend over an annual period but spreading that cost on a monthly basis. In effect they become your retained virtual marketing department delivering agreed activities on   time and to budget, ensuring they have maximum impact on your bottom line.

In challenging trading conditions the benefits of the programme outweigh the investment involved:  it allows easy and accurate management of marketing spend, provides access to a team of marketing professionals with broad experience across a range of disciplines, gives focus and momentum to marketing activity and delivers tangible financial results.

On Tuesday 17^th January from 11.00am to 3.00pm the team at Fig Creative invite businesses from around the region to an open day, where they can find out how the Marketing Partners Programme could move their business forward in 2012.

Helen Duncan, MD of the newly branded Fig Creative explains “We work with many local  companies, providing design, print and web services and we will continue to offer great quality for great value. But we know that no one marketing activity will transform a business, particularly in a challenging economic climate. Our new Marketing Partner Programme blends a variety of targeted marketing activities to give local companies the support they need to grow their businesses – without breaking the bank. And it really works, come and see our customer videos at our open day.”

The friendly Fig Creative team is now 7 strong and offers a full range of marketing services including branding consultancy, PR, design & print, copy writing and internet and social media strategy.

For further information including details about the open day contact the team at Fig Creative on 01457 857 111 or just drop in on the day between 11 – 3pm at 174 High Street West, Glossop, Derbyshire SK13 8ER.

Help is at hand for budding entrepreneurs whose New Year resolution is to start their own business or get their tax return in on time.

High Peak Borough Council has lined up a string of free workshops for people considering self employment. The series starts in Glossop Municipal Buildings on Thursday, January 26 with a half-day session led by HM Customs and Revenues (HMRC).

Focusing on registering as self employed, setting up business records and paying tax, the event will be repeated in Buxton Town Hall on Thursday, February 2.

The series for start ups continues in Municipal Buildings on Wednesday, February 8 when HMRC delivers a popular “eligible expenses” workshop pinpointing expenditure that can be claimed as tax-deductible expenses.

For people who are already self employed and have to submit their tax return by the end of January, the council has squeezed in an event on Thursday week (January 19) to explain how to complete the return online. The practical session will include a step-by-step guide to the online pages.

 All events run from 1.30pm to 4.30pm, and places can be booked by calling customer services on 0845 129 7777.

Press Release: 14th December 2011

Glossop Cartons have made a donation to their local school, Padfield Community Primary School just in time for Christmas.

The school was chosen as part of Glossop Cartons community support programme.

Head teacher, Anne Harper explained

“We have had a library extension built this year and we intend to use most of the money on resources for the library including maintaining the library computer system and books. We are going to use the rest of the money to pay for the food and drinks for the children’s Christmas parties”.

Anne went on to say “Glossop Cartons regularly provide card to school which we use for making props for the Nativity and party hats”

Vicky Every from Glossop Cartons said. “We are delighted to support the school and to be able to provide books for the children to enjoy. I’m also pleased that our cardboard is being “recycled” for the enjoyment of the children”

Established in 1982 and based in Padfield, Glossop Cartons is now one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of carton board packaging products for blue-chip organisations across the UK. Producing quality litho printed cartons, wallets, blister cards, skin pack cards and packaging, the family owned and run firm employs around 50 people locally.