AFTER announcing record profits in the first quarter of 2004, Ben Johnson, the York office supplies, furniture and technology provider, has decided to celebrate by putting the vroom into boom.

The £3 million turnover firm is celebrating by sponsoring a Mark 2 Ford Escort rally car, rebuilt into racing fitness by its furniture sales manager Mark Dickinson.

The sponsorship came as Ben Johnson announced £1.1 million in sales in the first four months of the year.

That represents a 15 per cent increase over the same period in 2003, and a 21 per cent increase on 2002

The figures crown a busy year for the 150-year-old company, which changed hands in February 2003, and counts among its 800 customers near-neighbours Harrowell Shaftoe solicitors in Clifton Moor, the Shepherd Engineering Group of York, and the NHS in York

Since buying into the business, alongside existing directors Karl Delaney and David Riley, managing director Adrian Rumble has made major organisational changes. In spite of announcing redundancies, the number of employees has grown from 22 to 28, and Mr Dickinson was among the new recruits.

Mr Rumble, a chartered engineer who previously held senior management roles for blue chip companies Diageo and HJ Heinz, agreed to the sponsorship as "a strong believer in investing in his employees on both a personal and professional level".

While he is gearing up to even greater heights, predicting profits success at the end of the year, the new car will be revving up for a test session at Breighton, near Bubwith on July 20, to which staff and customers will be invited.

Some will even be invited to take a passenger-eye-view of the 220-BHP beast as it launches at 0-60 in five or six seconds.

Mr Rumble attributes the company's growth in part to help and advice he received from Business Link York and North Yorkshire.

He attended Business Link's "Benchmarking" seminar, and business adviser Andy Barton helped him to secure support from the Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS).

This was for an operations improvement programme that is expected to result in significant savings and customer service improvement.

Mr Rumble said: "Leading Ben Johnson is about building and coaching the best team, inspiring that team to be the best at what they do and resiliently driving the next improvement by constantly and widely benchmarking and innovating.

"I will always look for help and since going to the benchmarking seminar Business Link adviser Andy Barton has never been far away in supporting our ambitions."

He said Ben Johnson had already physically transformed its warehouse with a £9,000 investment and was now developing a high performing team who would work with Rosewood Management Services on further process improvements.

Updated: 09:50 Tuesday, June 08, 2004