Design firm founders are animated by their success

Aug 6 2008 by Tony McDonough, Liverpool Daily Post

A FIRM that supplies 3D images and animations for architects, developers and interior designers, is defying the property market downturn to report strong half-year results.

Liverpool-based Evolve has record- ed sales of £170,000 since January.

The figure is 13%higher than its own forecast, and represents a year-on-year leap of 283% on £60,000 recorded in the first six months of 2007.

“We are in our third year of operat- ion and have worked tremendously hard to build our market position,” said Stephen Helsby, co-founder.

“We are on course to exceed our £300,000 target this year. We’re obviously mindful of the impact of the credit crunch but we have established a healthy sector spread across educat- ion, healthcare, commercial, residen- tial, retail and industrial projects.”

Recent activity includes working with the Royal Liverpool Children’s NHS Trust to redesign the proposed new John Lennon Children’s Health Foundation, plus commercial schemes for Forward Point, in Widnes, and Atlantic House, in Liverpool.

The company also completed a documentary project for the new King David Campus, Childwall.

Evolve has assisted architects Calder Peel on mixed-use schemes including a 15-storey hotel in Poole, Dorset. Farther afield, the firm has worked for a London-based architect on a college in Dubai and a residen- tial developer, assisting in the market- ing of 600 units at Moratalla, in Spain.

Mr Helsby said: “Evolve has a de- sign niche – we use our wealth of creative experience to ensure the best design results are achieved for our clients. These results are then reflect- ed in the accurate, photo-realistic imagery and animations that we produce.”

Evolve is based at Liverpool Innovation Park, Edge Lane, and now employs six people. Mr Helsby, who set up the business with his wife, Michelle, in 2005, said: “We will be moving to larger premises by the end of the year, and are actively recruiting people with 3-D digital design skills to join our team.”

tonymcdonough