AN EXPANDING South Lakeland firm is to create at least 25 full-time jobs this year to help deal with increasing demand for its products.

Coordination Group Publications (CGP) has already recruited some 20 new staff and expects to take on more workers in the coming months.

The Broughton-in-Furness publisher, which produces the UK's best-selling education revision guides, plans to invest £750,000 on improvements to its existing sites.

The company wants to upgrade facilities and create more office space at its distribution centre in Millom, and at the administration and editorial sites in Broughton. CGP will also open a dedicated new product centre in nearby Grizebeck.

Richard Greenwood, economy and development manager at South Lakeland District Council, warmly welcomed the expansion, saying: "It is great to see CGP expanding and providing more high quality employment in South Lakeland. The firm is highly committed to the area and the local community.

"We need this sort of good news after recent announcements from GlaxoSmithKline, WRM Logistics at Milnthorpe and K Shoes in Kendal.

CGP was formed in 1996 when founder Richard Parsons wrote a revision guide to make GCSE Maths exams less scary for students. Since then, the company has grown rapidly, and CGP now employs more than 120 people.

"We have a fantastic workforce who always do whatever it takes to give our customers the best possible service and we want to give our staff the best support we can by improving our site facilities, allowing us to bring in hard-working new staff to share the load," said Mr Parsons.

The company's latest investment is backed by government-funded Regional Selective Assistance grant aid. Mr Parsons praised the support the company received from Furness Enterprise and the North West Development Agency.

l Next week learn the secret behind CGP's success.

January 16, 2003 10:30