Milestone for Staffordshire Company Who Put Businesses in the Limelight
A Staffordshire creative agency is celebrating its 30th birthday.
Limelight Marketing Communications who specialise in graphic design, web design and digital marketing have marked the occasion by re-branding and launching a new website.
They also invited clients and partners to a birthday event celebrating their brand-new studio move to Newcastle-under-Lyme. The expanding company recently relocated to Holborn Court which has larger studio space. They had been based in Shelton Enterprise Centre.
Limelight was founded back in 1993 by its then founder Mike Shailes. With an office in Shelton and one member of staff they specialised in providing advertising and graphic design services to the photographic industry in North Staffordshire.
The team soon grew and the services they offered expanded. Limelight’s Managing Director Louise Hanson joined the business in 2002 as a graphic designer and took the business over in 2011 when Mike retired.
The company now employs a team of four including designers Andy Lycett and Ben Dunnett, admin support Beth Powell as well as bringing in Robert Hanson to look after finances. Limelight supports a range of industries including schools and education, manufacturing, healthcare, the construction industry as well as international luxury accommodation.
They specialise in:
- Website design, development, and SEO
- Graphic design and print
- Logo design and branding
- Brochure and leaflet design
- Exhibition stand design.
Managing Director Louise Hanson said:
I joined Limelight 21 years ago as a graphic designer and spent the few first years learning about the other aspects of the business including website design and marketing. It wasn’t long before Mike retired, and I took over – as a 32-year-old with another colleague who later left the business.
It was a steep learning curve, but I’ve always had a great team around me, and we’ve gone from strength to strength over the years. I’ve expanded the services we offer, grown the team and increased turnover year on year. I think one of my proudest achievements has been to steer the business through Covid and come out of the other side even stronger.
She added:
Moving to bigger, better premises has been exciting and I’m looking forward to growing the business even further. I think our longevity is down to the trust our clients have in us, the honest advice we give, the quality of service and our customer service as our clients really see us as an extension of their team. I think these things put Limelight in a really strong position as we head into our 4th decade.
Founder Mike Shailes said:
One of the reasons that I felt able to launch the business back in 1993 is also the way that the industry has changed. I recognised that visual communication was moving from a manual graphic arts practice to an electronic digital based industry. Having spent time in Europe and the UK learning and studying some of the technical practices involved, I was confident of our ability to move within the business of providing cost effective marketing support for our clients.
He added:
Employing Louise – someone who could gain the skills and experience to take on the business when I wanted to retire was one of Limelight’s biggest milestones! I’m not surprised that the team have all taken the business to 30 years – they’re all super talented and I’m rather in awe of their achievements. I’m sure they’ll continue in the same vein for many years to come – I’m proud of them all.
