Shaun Pritchard and his business partner registered Dash Graphical Solutions last October and the firm is set to open in the next two weeks.

“We were both in full-time jobs and had had enough of doing what we were doing. I’d been working in a high school but design was my background,” said managing director and designer Shaun Pritchard.

“My business partner has been in the print trade for 20 years. He’s developed a lot of contacts of his own in the industry over the years so we’re getting our name out there quite quickly."

The firm secured funding for the venture from a business angel contacted via bank Santander. It has made an initial investment in presses and other equipment of £20,000, including two 60in HP Designjets: an L25500 and a Z6200.

“We looked at other machines but there’s a lot of support for the HP printers; the cost-effectiveness is good and the management software that comes with it is really good. The print quality is amazing as well so it’s just what we needed,” said Pritchard.

The firm will produce items such as posters, flyers, business cards, banners, window graphics and canvas prints and it is targeting customers in the commercial and trade industries.

Dash Graphical Solutions will operate from office space inside the Oldknows factory, a converted lace factory in Nottingham.

“At the minute it’s just the two of us, but within a year we hope to take on another member of staff. We’re forecasting a turnover of about £100,000 for the first year,” said Pritchard.