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The Six Nations may have been the launch-pad, but now a gifting entrepreneur’s personalised ball business is exporting to 21 countries around the globe.

Richard Askam launched Ballpix during the 2019 competition, hooking up with Gilbert to bring bespoke presents to scrum fans.

Footballs are also part of the offer, and the man who has succeeded with Coca-Cola, Jaffa Cakes and several other top brands keen to twist their corporate image, is looking forward to the summer’s international tournament and proposed expansion.

“It is a nice story to be able to tell, there’s a worldwide appetite for this sort of thing, and it is great,” he said. “We really haven’t started to bang the drum in terms of marketing, we wanted to make sure the product launched well, that people like it.

 “We’re just about to add a brand of footballs for Euro 2020. The last 12 to 18 months have been one long test of the market for our product and out consumer appetite.  We’ve had one client, a personalised gifting specialist, and they have effectively done the market research for us.

“Everyone has loved the product and we are ready to ramp up through the summer with bigger production, and hoping to create jobs.”

The digital specialist started with wine labelling on the outskirts of his home town of Grimsby, advancing his wholesale supply operation to restaurants and bars, a legacy line from his father’s chain of off licences.

Globally-recognised personalisation followed as print opportunity spiralled as costs diminished, and now he has moved on from traditional paper, card and wrap to 3D objects.