Tuesday, March 11, 2014


in association with


Business Argus


Inventive new studio’s design on expansion


By Jo Barnes 01633 777240 jba@gwent-wales.co.uk Twitter @SWABusiness


ANinnovative newdesign stu- dio inNewport is planning expansion after just a year in business. Parade Design, the brainchild of Claire Broome, is working with a range of clients aiming to bring fresh ideas to their branding and promotion. Claire, with 12 years’ experience


at a leading SouthWales graphic designer, branched out on her own last year and has quickly built a portfolio of customers in South Wales and across southern England. Nowshe is looking for new premises and wants to take on a designer to help with the work- load. One of her clients is restau- rateur David Pell, owner of the award-winning Bacaro in Celtic Springs Business Park on the west of Newport, as well as the newly- launched Ridgeway Bar and Kitchen near the city centre. David said:“We are very pleased


with the work Parade has done for us.Wewanted a simple and dis- tinctive brandingwhich would still be fresh in years to come, and Parade Design delivered this for us.”


Parade offers full rebranding or


‘one off’ design work in print and web, including web design, bro- chures, literature and advertising. Other clients include the recently created lawfirmin Cardiff, Greenaway Scott, as well as long established printerWestdale.


EXPANDING: Andrea Hewett UK Steel Enterprise, Claire Broome Parade Design and Tim Garbutt Newport City Council at the Ridgeway in Newport


Claire said:”It is pleasing that we


have attracted such good clients so quickly, and are nowlooking to grow.Weare looking into premis- es and will be taking on a junior designer soon.” The business was launched with the help of a £500 Business Start-


Up Grant from Newport City Council. The grant is funded by Tata sub- sidiaryUKSteel Enterprise. AndreaHewett of UKSEsaid:”It


is rewarding to see new business- es being launched in Newport cre- ating jobs and wealth in the local


Gwent law firmgets a hallmark of quality


AGWENTlawfirmis among the first in the country to become a member of the Law Society’s new Wills and Inheritance Quality Scheme. Watkins&Gunn Solicitors,which has offices in Newport, Pontypool and Cardiff, underwent a rigorous application and assess- ment process by the LawSociety to become WIQS accredited. WIQS recognises high quality in will writing,


probate and also in estate administration services. Members of WIQS must adhere to the first LawSociety Protocol for wills and estate administration. This provides firmswith practical guidelines and recommends best prac- tice at all the key stages of the wills and probate process. Clive Thomas, manag-


ing partner atWatkins &Gunn Solicitors said: “A poorly drafted will


can be a very expensive and distressing legacy for your family. Being a member of WIQS means that clients can be reassured that we have the necessary expertise to deliver wills and inheritance advice.” Watkins&Gunn Solicitors is also a mem- ber of the LawSociety’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS)which is the mark of excellence for the home buying process.


economy, and we wish Parade all success.” Tim Garbutt , Business Services Officer with Newport City Council said:”We are grate- ful toUKSteel Enterprise for pro- viding these funds,which are very useful in helping to get new busi- nesses off the ground.”


5


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NP20 4PG T: 01633 844141 W: www.newportunlimited.co.uk


Global tech giant’s gold standard


LEADINGIT consultancy, CertusTG, has become the first company in Wales to achieve a global industry benchmark. The Newport-headquartered com- pany has been awarded a Triple Gold Competency status from Microsoft, the highest level of recognition offered to the technology giant’s offi- cial partners. To achieve the gold status, Certus’ engineers had to pass advanced exams to ensure that their technical skills are up to the strict levels required, and the company had to demon- strate a solid track record of success and customer satisfaction when deliver- ing projects using


Microsoft technologies. Paul Brown,


CEOof CertusTG, said:“We have worked with Microsoft for 13 years and achieving their Gold Competency status is no easy task. “Becoming the first company in


Paul Brown, of tech company Certus TG


Watkins & Gunn Solicitors is now a member of the Law Society’s WIQS


Wales to achieve this benchmark reflects the level of investment in training and education that we pro- vide for our staff to ensure that we are delivering the very best service to our clients. “This recognition is particularly important to us as it relies on feed- back from our clients, and is reassur- ance that the quality of our service is achieving the very highest industry standards.” Based at Celtic Springs near Newport, CertusTGis one of Wales’ largest IT consultancies supporting 120 companies. Current clients include the Millennium Stadium, Freshwater, Broomfield&Alexander, Premier Global, Julian Hodge Bank, Tenovus andWatts Gregory LLP.


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£ Contact ourbusinessteam at:www.newport.gov.uk/businessor01633 656656


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