Loughborough-based SDI first entered talks with M3 after a chance meeting between mutual friends and discussions moved forward to a point of official agreement as it was concluded that the two companies provided complementary, non-competing services.

Clients of SDI will now have access to digital marketing services via the M3 connection, alongside constructed and printed POS services provided onsite by the display specialist. In the next two to three years, it is expected that the two companies will be able to jointly generate £2.5m in additional sales, according to SDI retail sales director Matt Evans.

He said: “It is one of those natural partnerships that you do not know the true value of until you start engaging properly. M3 wants to drive people to displays, and we want to complement the increasingly digital world.

“It will be an exclusive partnership as neither of us will approach another company for services that our partner could do.

“Our bespoke displays go from one-off to large-volume rollouts, sat in the heart of the UK with all major manufacturing and all substrates in house. If this partnership helps us to grow, then we may certainly look to invest further.”

Evans said that the partnership is expected to create up to 10 new jobs across the two companies, mostly in account management and customer services, though there was a potential for hires in manufacturing, too.

Alongside its main 8,361sqm manufacturing facility and head office in Loughborough, SDI also runs a storage and logistics base in Coalville and a mannequin and wig refurbishment operation in Romford, Essex. It employs 100 people on £13m sales.

Its POS and visual merchandising services include construction and installation of displays, plinths, props and pop-ups, alongside printed graphics.

M3 has three offices in Birmingham, London and Wolverhampton and employs 40 people.

The two brands share a client portfolio that includes brands such as Dior, F1 Autocentres, Harley Davidson, Harrods, Marks & Spencer, Marston’s and Tesco.