Football is good news for flag firm

A COMPANY based in Kimbolton is predicting its most profitable year ever after seeing a huge demand for St George s flags and banners in the lead up to the World Cup. The House of Flags (HoF) Fabric Design Solutions, which has its head office and manufact

A COMPANY based in Kimbolton is predicting its most profitable year ever after seeing a huge demand for St George's flags and banners in the lead up to the World Cup.

The House of Flags (HoF) Fabric Design Solutions, which has its head office and manufacturing team in Kimbolton, is set to see profits increase at the end of the year because of football fever.

Marketing manager Jane Barlow told The Hunts Post: "March was our busiest month since the company began in 1988 and we are still really busy.

"Large breweries have been buying flags and banners in bulk since the start of this year in preparation for the World Cup while the public have been using our online ordering system to order flags for themselves."

The company, which also has offices in Birmingham and Taunton, reported a £3million turnover in 2004

and is forecasting a £4million turnover by the end of this year.

So far it has produced more than 100 kilometres of St George's bunting and more than 1,000 banners. To meet the huge demand, the company has recruited extra workers from the declining shoe industry in Northamptonshire.

Mrs Barlow added: "Getting qualified machinists has been a problem for the past three years and still a problem but we have managed to recruit some people who were previously employed in the shoe industry in Northamptonshire. We used to only have five machinists now we have 17 - the flag and banner industry is definitely booming."

The biggest St George's flag produced by HoF to date was commissioned by The Sun newspaper for Euro 2004 and measured 30m x 50m.

INFORMATION: To find out more about HoF, visit www.flags.co.uk