Product and graphics groups form alliance

Product group Level Six Design is getting a new managing director this week as its founder takes a back seat. It is also forming a strategic alliance with graphics consultancy John Harris Design.

Level Six’s founder and managing director for ten years, James Gordon Cumming, is taking semi-retirement and becomes company chairman. Previous commercial director Andrew Brian steps up to become managing director.

The Hertfordshire consultancy is also changing its name to Level Six Design Group.

London graphics group John Harris Design remains independent under the new alliance. There is no change of ownership, with the graphics consultancy retaining its name but operating as the group’s graphics arm.

Level Six Design Group is also opening a manufacturing arm, to be called Level Six Models. The core product business, with some 14 designers, will be called Level Six Design Consultants.

“The consultancy will be quite revolutionised, we’ll be able to offer graphics and model-making as well as straight product design,” says Brian.

He stresses that Level Six is not merging with John Harris Design. “We’ll be offering the skills of John Harris’ four designers to clients who need graphics skills as well as product design. We thought of starting a graphics arm ourselves but we don’t have a history,” says Brian.

“It makes sense to form a synergy of expertise,” says John Harris, chairman of the graphics group.

Level Six Models will be launched in October, operating two miles from the industrial design studio. It will focus on prototyping and model-making. Brian is currently recruiting an operations manager.