Blind Screen has experienced remarkable growth, with the University of Derby playing a key role in driving its success.
A journey of growth and innovation
Blind Screen, a leading blinds manufacturer with over 20 years of industry experience, has been on a remarkable growth trajectory. Specialising in premium honeycomb blackout and mesh blinds, the company is dedicated to enhancing comfort, energy efficiency, and sustainability. With a relentless commitment to innovation, Blind Screen continues to create cutting-edge solutions that meet the evolving needs of both homes and businesses.
A crucial element of Blind Screen success has been its partnership with the University of Derby. With the expert support of Professor Mark Gilman, Blind Screen has sharpened its business strategy, scaled up rapidly, and built a solid foundation for the future. Paul Cheetham, Marketing Director of Blind Screen emphasised Mark’s guidance transformed the organisation as they exceeded ambitious objectives.
“Mark has been instrumental in transforming our business strategy, identifying overlooked opportunities, and solidifying our path to scale.”
Driving business growth
Under Mark's guidance, Blind Screen achieved an extraordinary sevenfold growth year-over-year. This rapid expansion was the result of a clear, structured plan that leveraged both strategic insights and industry expertise.
“Mark’s insights helped uncover untapped opportunities and put a structured plan in place to keep the momentum going.”
Most importantly, Mark worked closely with the company to define and embed its core purpose, vision, and values, ensuring these principles are at the heart of every decision and action.
The company’s newfound focus has allowed Blind Screen to tackle its ambitious growth targets with confidence. By embedding these core values across the organisation, Blind Screen’s team is aligned and committed to their long-term vision, which has enabled them to thrive even amid the challenges of scaling.
Navigating challenges with strategic insight
Scaling up a business is never without its hurdles. For Blind Screen, the challenges included managing rapid growth while maintaining operational efficiency and aligning the expanding team with the company’s core mission. Mark’s industry expertise, paired with his extensive network, proved invaluable in navigating these obstacles. He developed a comprehensive framework to prioritise key operational areas, helping Blind Screen implement targeted management tactics and growth initiatives.
“Mark’s leadership extended to heading a specialised research team investigating the impact of Blind Screen products on carbon reduction across UK properties, with a particular focus on single-glazed installations.”
This research highlighted how Blind Screen’s products could help the UK government achieve its Net Zero targets, a topic they presented at the prestigious Blind Screen Sustainability Path to Net Zero event at the House of Commons.
By focusing on the intersection of sustainability and innovation, Blind Screen is ensuring that every step of its expansion is both strategic and environmentally conscious. Their continued efforts in sustainability, guided by Mark’s leadership, will not only support the company’s growth but also make a significant contribution to the industry.
Innovation through collaboration
The University of Derby’s support has gone beyond business strategy. Aaron Gordon, from the Derby Innovation Accelerator (DIA) project, played a key role in securing £25,000 in funding for Blind Screen’s ground-breaking ZEDDFIT product which was showcased at the House of Parliament. This funding supported the purchase of essential tooling and moulds, enabling the company to accelerate its product development.
Aaron emphasised the collaboration has been incredibly rewarding.
“Our work with Blind Screen through the DIA project has been the latest funding provided to the business, and from my experience it has been a pleasure to work with them.”
Aaron believes Blind Screen will continue to make innovative progress and hope to collaborate in the future.
“Blind Screen operate in a way that even though they are working on complex projects and initiatives, they can simplify this in a way that even someone not from the Blinds Industry can understand easily.”
Looking ahead
As Blind Screen continues to innovate and expand, its partnership with the University of Derby remains a cornerstone of its success. With a clear vision, a solid strategy, and the backing of an esteemed academic institution, Paul emphasises that Blind Screen is prepared for even greater achievements in the future.
"The collaboration with the university has been an incredible opportunity to refine our product and bring new expertise into the business."
With Mark’s expert guidance and support, Blind Screen is not only scaling rapidly but also leading the charge in sustainability within the blinds industry.
Additionally, Sophie Beer from the University of Derby worked with Blind Screen through the Accelerated Knowledge Transfer Partnership (AKTP) to co-design the ZEDDFIT product. Sophie highlighted the partnership has provided academic expert and associates valuable experience in delivering practical solutions for real-world industry applications.
“We are delighted that the project has enabled Blind Screen to enhance their future product developments and we’re looking forward to seeing their continued success in the industry."
MSc Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering programme leader Dr Jilin Ye emphasised the collaboration with Blind Screen involved identifying primary technical challenges faced by Small and Medium Enterprises in the manufacturing industry and having full capabilities to provide practical solutions using academic knowledge, expertise and skills. All associates involved in the project worked together to create a good business model which brought benefits to both parties.
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