Read the signs - they could be pointing to success in the Evening Press Business Venture of the Year competition.

Richard and Ros Court, of Raymac Signs, the silk screen printers in Malton, are surely signalling success in their own right with their messages written loud and clear from Danger! and Warning! to Fire Exit and Tractors Reversing.

The husband and wife partnership has nearly doubled turnover since taking over the business at Prospect Works, Showfield Lane, in January, 1996. Now they have six full-time and two part-time employees specialising in production, supply and distribution of health and safety signs, more than 300 of which are available from stock. Others can be made to specification. (There's a big demand for "Free range children and animals" for use in farm driveways!)

As this implies, the firm also supplies signs to the agricultural sector where it is represented in more than 500 retail outlets from northern Scotland to the southern-most part of Cornwall.

The couple tip their caps to Norman Whyte, chief executive of York Business Development Ltd, who helped to steer them on a course which has now led to an investment in purpose-built facilities at its premises in Showfield Lane.

Both have a health service background. Ros looked after medical records for a hospital in Nottingham and Richard is a former senior manager with York Health Trust in charge of support services.

He said: "We are taking back premises which we sub-let to a plumber's in order to expand."

Should they win the £2,000 first prize with the Business Venture of the Year title they will use it to help create a new reception area.

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