A Norfolk-based franchise network which works with the insurance industry has moved to new premises in Swaffham to cope with increased growth following a national expansion drive.

Tempest Restoration, which carries out restoration work on behalf of loss adjusters and insurance companies covering both domestic and commercial policyholder claims, has seen 18 franchisees taking on the Tempest brand in the last year.

This brings the total number of branches up to 19, including the original Norfolk branch.

Turnover has increased from �380,000 in 2009/10 to �725,000 in 2011/11 with profits also increasing and the company said the aim was to increase to 35 nationwide branches in the coming year, offering services from fire and escape of water restoration to disaster recovery.

Martin King, managing director, said: 'The business has grown with demand from our customers. The new franchisees we have on board are taking the business across the UK, meaning our services can be offered to even more people in their time of need. The new office will allow us to realise our expansion plans for the coming years and our centre of excellence training facility will allow us to train our network, exceeding industry standards.'

He said the aim of the new office was to creat a single point of contact while the group's 80-strong team of technicians will also be trained there.

'When disaster strikes there could be a large number of people involved in the claim process. We are looking to introduce a single point of contact so the home owner has only one person to talk to during the end to end restoration process,' Mr King said.

'We are already feeling settled in our new offices, where we will continue to provide complete project management for anyone who has suffered fire or water damage at their property.' Gary Douglas-Beet, business development manager, said the aim was to try and break the mould by providing a single service for policyholders so that they do not have to deal with several different companies when sorting out a claim.

'We are the very first contact that the policyholder has – we are the face of the insurance industry,' he said.

'We're trying to break the mould and come up with a programme for how we manage the whole chain.

'There can be up to 10 companies involved in a policy management claim, so the poor customer doesn't know whether they are coming or going.

'We are saying as the first ones in, we will project manage the claim from start to finish. We also want our franchisees to develop bigger areas and take on a bit more responsibility in developing that business.'