The manufacturer relocated 10 miles south at the end of March, more than doubling in size from a 230sqm space in Pride Park, Derby, to a 570sqm premises at the Trent Industrial Estate, near Castle Donnington.

Director Paul Tomlinson said the move had been necessary after the 10-staff outfit had been “bursting at the seams” at its previous premises.

Tomlinson said: “We are a manufacturing company and what we manufacture is long and has quite a lot of surface area. An example today is that we have a massive lightbox built downstairs not disrupting anybody, whereas with the old place it was getting dangerous, people were tripping over wires. It was getting to be quite a depressing place to be.

“Now it’s just a massive change in getting around the place. The mental attitude of everyone is a lot happier.” 

The new premises is being complemented by the building of a new 40sqm showroom to display frames and showcase DPI’s work. It will be up-and-running in the next few weeks.

DPI also recruited one new member of staff to its CAD team. 

Tomlinson added that he would like to double sales of the £750,000-turnover business by the end of next year but that 20% is a realistic aim.

He said: “Turnover will increase but the reason is that we now turn less away, confidence is a factor in what we take on. We’ve got space to do pre-builds but now we know we can send these things out with a confidence that they’ve been built, that they work together and the fabric fits." 

Founded in 2014 by Tomlinson and fellow director Sandra Wiggins, DPI manufactures aluminium frames and lightboxes used with tensioned fabric graphics by the large-format printing trade. Fabrics can be fit onto DPI’s frames and can then be folded or rolled, enabling them to be shipped. They are used by major retailers and in airports, exhibition halls and at conferences.