BUSINESS for the BagFlag Company is really flying with plans to launch into Canada and North and South America.

The firm was set up by Phil Brunger in Worcester only 10 months ago with support from Government start-up service Ready for Business and has seen orders flood in from across the UK and Europe. It is also set to reach a license agreement with a company for the exclusive rights to manufacture and distribute BagFlags in Germany, France, Benelux and Scandinavia.

Mr Brunger, a former automation consultant for various manufacturing industries including the pharmaceutical and food and drink sectors, spotted a gap in the market while on a business trip to Germany. Disappointed that his Porsche-branded souvenir t-shirts and flags were packaged in a plain white plastic bag he set about developing his idea to combine a bag and a flag into one dual purpose promotional product. BagFlag is designed for use as either a promotional bag or branded flag and can be used for charitable events, political rallies and sporting events as well as for merchandise and gift shops.

To develop his idea, Mr Brunger worked alongside Ready for Business advisor Debbie Assinder from Business Enterprise Support, who offered professional guidance across a wide range of areas, including creating a robust business plan, advising on the best use of marketing, reviewing finances, cash flow and sales forecasts.

He said: “Setting up a business yourself can be very isolating and I got into a rut of doing everything myself. However, that all changed when I started my one-to-one sessions with Debbie who is a very helpful, inspirational person to work with. To be able to go through things and get an unbiased, supportive opinion is invaluable to me and the networks she has recommended are fantastic. I’m now heavily involved in the Prince’s Initiative for Mature Enterprise and find it refreshing and very useful to be able to talk to people in a similar situation as myself.”

James Milne, Barclays area business manager for Worcestershire. said: “Stories like Phil’s are why it is so important to continue supporting start-up businesses. The free seminars that Barclays offer are just one example of how Barclays can support businesses like BagFlag. No matter where you are on your business journey our wide range of support is designed to offer help.”

As Mr Brunger's business expands, he plans to create new employment positions and added: “Stepping into a global market place offers us a really exciting opportunity and as well as platforms in the Americas and Europe we are now having on-going discussions about moving into Italy, Nigeria, Australia and Russia.”