A NORTH YORKSHIRE surveying company is mapping out a successful future with help from Business Link York and North Yorkshire.

Photarc Surveys Ltd, of Harrogate, whose projects have included photographing and measuring Downing Street, Hong Kong's Chep Lap Kok Airport, a Mayan Temple in Honduras on behalf of the Getty Institute and major incidents such as the Paddington rail crash, has achieved Investors in People (IIP) accreditation with help from Business Link adviser Helen Gisbourne.

The company's marketing director, Rory Stanbridge, said: "Helen has been invaluable in guiding us through this very worthwhile process."

Photarc Surveys, established 29 years ago, now employs 19 people and claims to be the only company in the North of England to offer the specialist service. The company has also just become an OS Options agency selling the full range of Ordnance Survey products.

The technical term for what Photarc does is "photogrammetry" but the simplified definition that Mr Stanbridge gives is: "It's about taking photographs and measurements - if you can photograph it, you can measure it."

Photarc's work ranges from mapping for the Ordnance Survey and the Ministry of Defence to photographing and measuring historic monuments for English Heritage.

It also does low-level helicopter surveying of motorways and railways and has developed methodology for the police to use for road traffic accidents and scene-of-crime recording.

The Investors in People accreditation, which aims to increase employee involvement and customer satisfaction and improve the bottom-line by focusing on the ways in which people drive profits, was presented to Photarc by Phil Willis, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Mr Willis said: "In an age where companies are desperately trying to hold on to highly qualified staff and be competitive within their field, IIP demonstrates an investment in people, improving both retention of employees and business output.

"As a nationally and internationally recognised company, Photarc is one of the hidden jewels of the Harrogate."

Businesses wanting to find out more about Investors in People can attend a free event at the Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate on March 25. The event, between 4.30pm and 7 pm, is aimed at companies with between five and 49 employees.

Updated: 11:31 Tuesday, March 16, 2004