The already successful Somerset Design Enterprise Network, established to promote and encourage Somerset’s design industry, has been relaunched to broaden its membership and to further boost design in the county.

The original launch of SDEN five years ago coincided with central government urging British design to be a core economic leader for the nation.

The increasing importance of the design sector has been highlighted more recently by UK Design Council research that shows a 30% increase in the number of firms who regard design as integral to their operation.

The Somerset Design Enterprise Network is determined to ensure the county’s design industry is in a strong position and fully ready to take advantage of an upturn in the economy when it comes along.

Now SDEN has strengthened its Steering Committee and set out an agenda to promote the design capabilities in the county, to attract new members county-wide and to keep design at the forefront of business thinking.

Taking the helm will be Taunton-based designer Andrew Knutt who was nominated as the new Chairman at a meeting of SDEN at Somerset College. Andrew is a director of his own design and media company ADK Ltd, Somerset-born, he has been in business for 12 years. Staunchly committed to design excellence, he is also a committee member of SDEN’s regional parent organisation, the South West Design Forum and an Associate of the Institute of Business Consulting as well as other business forums.

Richard Holt, founding committee member and former Chairman of SDEN, becomes vice-chairman. Since 2005 Richard has been based at Somerset College as Fellow in Creative Industries and Enterprise from the University of Plymouth. He is a practising Industrial designer.

Other representatives of the design sector on the SDEN committee are Andrew Palmer of Taunton, founder and managing director of Strategic Marketing Solutions Ltd; Alistair Whiteley, a freelance web developer based in Weston-super-Mare and the Director of his own web design and development company; Neil Lumby, who established his own design practice in Langport, became a graphics lecturer and is currently establishing a new multi-practice, DesignEquity; and Paul Bryant, formerly a journalist, local government and private sector PR consultant and now Chairman and Director of Taunton-based consultancy, Impact Design & Marketing.

“Through the Somerset Design Enterprise Network we aim is to bring the county’s designers together and to provide a meeting point for design, industry, education and other design related activities,” says Andrew Knutt. “Much has been achieved over the group’s first five years providing a foundation that promotes Somerset’s design industry and represent our members at regional, national, and global level. Now we need to build our membership to reflect the diversity of forward-thinking design activity in the county and we will be looking to create a range of activities and events.”

“The design industry is diverse in Somerset covering architecture, photography, graphics, engineering, fashion, packaging, manufacturing, interiors, film and television …in fact many sectors of commerce, industry, government call upon the creative design industry in some way.”

“Everyone knows how challenging today’s economic conditions are. To survive in these conditions and stay ahead of the competition, UK business must add value – and good design from Somerset’s designers has a valuable part to play in achieving this.”

Anyone wishing to find out more about the Somerset Design Enterprise Network and how to join, can find details at www.designenterprisenetwork.net.