By Cathy Steel, Manchester Chamber of Commerce

A COMPANY producing a unique safety device which protects children's fingers is about to reach out to the American market.

Fingershield (Safety UK) - the only firm in the north west to market the product which prevents children trapping their fingers in doors - is hoping to repeat the success of the device in the UK across the Atlantic.

General manager Paul O'Carroll said: ''In the UK we are the market leader in supplying schools with the door safety device.

''We know there is nothing in the US market that compares to what we have, so we are hoping to blow the competition out of the water.''

The transatlantic marketing drive will be based on the successful UK formula where agents are recruited to sell the product within the primary school system.

From its base in a former primary school building at Eastlands, Fingershield's five-strong team co-ordinate a group of 20 agents across the country.

Paul said: ''We train our agents to conduct safety surveys so they can offer free door safety risk assessments to schools. There is no pressure to buy the product, but we find when schools see the product and hear that it has a 10-year guarantee, it sells itself.

''Teachers know that our device can make a big difference to the safety of children in schools. We can also offer up to 40 per cent discounts to special needs schools.

''A recent beneficiary of this scheme was Springwood School in Swinton, where almost 300 doors have had the device fitted.''

Invention

The door safety device was invented by Paul's father-in-law, Frank Garvey in a bid to improve on the products currently on the market.

He patented the product, which has since received glowing endorsements from safety professionals, including former Health and Safety officer at Manchester city council's education department, Ron McLeod.

Initially established as a telesales company 18-months ago, Fingershield bosses soon decided to change their marketing strategy.

Paul explained: ''We decided telesales wasn't the right approach for our product. It didn't fit in with the ethical, safety conscious ethos of the product. So we decided to recruit agents and this approach has worked very well.

''Most of our agents are former school teachers. From our database, we supply them with lists of schools and contacts, but they know the education system, so they don't have a problem contacting the right people.''

Although the majority of its business is in the primary school sector, Fingershield also boasts major clients including McDonalds and other family restaurant chains.

Next year the company plans to launch the Fingershield Schools/Parents Safety Initiative - a venture which will reward schools for introducing the device to parents.

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