2017 – A Year in the Life of Midshire

Lights, Camera, Action!

• Midshire teams up with legal firm Russell & Russell to raise money for local charities
• Local photographer Carlton Adkins delivers an entire array of fresh corporate photographs
• Midshire exhibits the first of its kind ‘IGZO’ technology at the 100% Optical show in London

Midshire hit the ground running in 2017 by exhibiting at the top London exhibition 100% Optical, and teaming up with local legal firm Russell & Russell to raise money for two important charities, the Bolton Hospice and the Christie NHS Foundation. Midshire also hired professional photographer Carlton Adkins to deliver an entire collection of modern corporate images that accurately portray the day-to-day activities, unique to each department within the company.

Activity, Activity, Activity

• Midshire takes its hosted desktop product Desktop Monster on the road
• Midshire’s Group Operations Manager Debbie Wilson presents awards to local college students
• Midshire wins its first global IT contract with US Tax & Finance
• Senior IT Consultant at Midshire Dave Clark is shortlisted for Young IT Professional of the Year
• Local accountancy firm Harold Sharp selects Midshire as its MPS provider

In February Midshire continued to dive headfirst into delivering its industry-renowned service, winning its first international IT contract with US Tax & Finance, and providing and managing chartered accountants firm Harold Sharp’s printer fleet
of over 30 machines.

Midshire took its hosted desktop solution – Desktop Monster to the road to drive sales with a new branded vehicle, whilst its developer in chief Dave Clark was shortlisted for Young IT Professional of the Year at the North-West Insider Young Professionals Awards.

As a firm advocate of young talent, Midshire continued to support local young people at Cheadle & Marple Colleges, taking work experience students throughout the year and presenting awards to some of the colleges’ high achieving pupils.

Marching Forward

• Midshire exhibits at Manchester Metropolitan University’s Print Tech Day
• The McGoff Group facilitates business growth with Midshire IT
• Midshire’s Stockport office achieves it highest figures ever for one month
• Midshire receives the Megabuyte Award for excellence in IT

In March Midshire was chosen by the McGoff Group, an Altrincham-based construction and development company, as their trusted partner for IT to accelerate business growth. Midshire’s IT continued to go from strength to strength, winning the prestigious Megabuyte Emerging Star award, and the company supported long-standing wide-format print customer Manchester Metropolitan University’s ‘Print Tech Open Day’ by showcasing some exciting new products.

The month of March ended on a high, with Midshire achieving its highest grossing figures ever for both one month and in a single fiscal quarter.

Leading the way

• The first RISO A2 Duplicator in the UK is installed by Midshire
• Midshire donates a machine to dog charity Joey’s Legacy Boxer Rescue
• Local video production company creates Midshire’s Google Business View tours

A nationwide first, Midshire installed the first RISO A2 Duplicator in the UK at Kingston University, London, in April. The high-tech machine is now a major factor for students choosing to study at Kingston University due to the innovative work that can be produced from its unique printing process. Midshire also brought in local video production company BellyFlop TV to let customers step inside its offices with a Google Business View tour. The technology quite literally allows web users to take a virtual 360-tour of Midshire’s premises.

A touch of CSR

• Midshire supports children’s charity Destination Florida
• Assistant Marketing Manager presents Legal Excellence Award
• Team from Midshire’s Stockport office run the Manchester 10k

In May, Midshire sponsored the Dispute Resolution and Litigation category at the Liverpool Legal Excellence Awards. Assistant Marketing Manager Laura Stafford attended the glitzy event and presented the award to the deserved firm DWF.

Destination Florida, a Manchester-based charity that sends children with life limiting illnesses on the holiday of a lifetime jumped on board with Midshire, who offered the organisation a discounted rate for charities to help meet their hefty financial target. Midshire staff also put their best foot forward at the Great Manchester 10k for a charity that the company has supported for many years, Francis House Children’s Hospice, raising a total of £616.

Flying high in June

• Midshire makes a sizeable donation, impacting the young lives of Solihull
• The best office in Manchester, Manchester Airport got better with Midshire support

Midshire completed an entirely bespoke IT installation at the control tower of Manchester Airport in June, totally revolutionising their one-of-a-kind office. After the installation control tower staff could utilise the tower to its full potential. The new solution allowed support staff to conduct effective cleaning, ensuring complete visibility of the runways at all times.

Twenty-four desktop machines were also donated to the Solihull Metropolitan Council’s Children’s Services division by Midshire’s Birmingham office. The council supports many children in care every year, and because of savings made since the donation they can be more resourceful with taxpayer money.

Sharpening operations

• Midshire launches a brand-new website
• Stockport Metro swim team make major savings with Midshire support
• Midshire becomes a subsidiary of Sharp Electronics Europe

At the halfway point of the year, Midshire was thrilled to announce the launch of a brand-new website. After over an entire year of planning, the new site was the company’s 7^th webface, meticulously designed with users in mind.

Having donated a multifunction full-colour printer to the local Stockport Metro swim team in July, Midshire massively reduced the team’s outgoings, allowing more swimmers to take part in costly high-altitude training and gain a competitive edge.

July ended with a slight changing of the guard, as Midshire was acquired by international manufacturer Sharp Electronics Europe. With all existing structures and personnel remaining in place, the strategic move by Sharp highlights the brilliant work of Midshire, but also Sharp’s ongoing commitment to supporting its customers with innovative solutions.

And the Winner is…

• Group Marketing Manager at Midshire named Businesswoman of the Year
• Midshire raises a magical amount for Severn Hospice
• The company achieves silver at the Health and Safety Awards
• Midshire places in Sandwell’s Top 50 Fastest Growing Companies index for a third consecutive year, climbing the ranks yet again.

The confidence instilled by the Sharp acquisition clearly showed in August, as Midshire was named one of Sandwell’s top 50 fastest growing companies of 2017. Integral to company growth in recent years, Group Marketing Manager Adrienne Topping at Midshire was also named Businesswoman of the Year at the Technology, Media, and Telecoms Awards, whilst Midshire received silver at the RoSPA Health and Safety Awards.

The company’s Birmingham office brought August to a close by raising £1,100 for Shropshire-based Severn Hospice on their annual charity day dressed as Disney and fairy-tale characters.

On your marks, get ready, bake!

• Smart Works women’s charity supported by Midshire
• The Great Midshire Bake-off 

In September, Midshire supported young women by donating a Sharp multifunction printer to Smart Works, a women’s charity that helps women in the Greater Manchester area back into employment. The company’s Stockport office also whipped things up on the CSR front by taking part in Macmillan’s annual coffee morning, and turning it into the ‘Great Midshire Bake-off’ competition, which raised almost £200 for the cancer charity.

It’s Never Stoptober at Midshire

• Midshire renews its sponsorship agreement with the Stockport County Community Foundation for a third consecutive year
• Staff at Midshire embrace Health & Wellbeing Week by getting fruity with Manchester-based company Fruidel
• Midshire sponsors the University of Manchester’s Netball Club

A company bursting with team-players, Midshire sponsored two amazing sports bodies in October, the University of Manchester’s Netball Club, and the Stockport County Community Foundation (SCCF). This was the third year that Midshire sponsored SCCF, namely because they expand Stockport County Football Club’s work away from its Edgely Park pitch and into the local community.

Midshire also embraced Health and Wellbeing Week and continues to partner with Fruidel, a Manchester-based organisation that delivers various fruits to businesses that wish to promote a healthier company culture.

Full Team Ahead

• Quality Save achieve both quality and savings with a Midshire managed print service
• Midshire shows tree-mendous support for Francis House Children’s Hospice
• Midshire wins big in Solihull

In November, Midshire provided its long-time customer Quality Save with one consolidative solution that brought the company’s 23 offices innovation and a major reduction in costs.

No stranger to charitable giving, Midshire donated a year’s supply of office photocopier paper to the annual Francis House Festival of Christmas Trees, building a tree from the reams to be auctioned off to the highest bidder.

Midshire also received recognition for its amazing work in the Greater Birmingham area, winning Outstanding Large Business of the Year at the Solihull Chamber Awards.

Festive fun and fundraising

• Midshire’s Birmingham office launches a tuck shop full of tasty treats in support of LOROS hospice
• Midshire’s Sarah and Chris Powell running after a personal best for charity
• Midshire’s technology is the Talk of Manchester
• Midshire supports customer Coleshill Heath in their support of The Friends of North Solihull Christmas shoebox appeal for the elderly

 As the year came to a close, Midshire got into the festive spirit and went charity mad, launching a tuck shop, and running in support of Leicestershire and Rutland Hospice LOROS. Staff across the group also raised money during a Christmas jumper day, and supported the Friends of North Solihull’s Christmas shoebox appeal for the elderly with 125 boxes, almost double what was collected in 2016.

The year ended on a high, when Midshire won Best Technology at the Talk of Manchester Awards, having won in the previous year for Best SME Support company, bringing the year to a spectacular close.

Hopefully your 2017 was filled with as much surprise, fun, and success as ours, and we hope that you are just as excited about what lies ahead in 2018 as we are.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

Midshire

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