Staff at Ruddle Merz are revelling in their success as they receive a bonus for their part in saving a major blue chip client more than £10million this year.

The bonus is worth 50 per cent of their annual salaries.

Chief Executive Tony Ruddle said: "One of the founding principles for Ruddle Merz is to be a responsible employer. This unprecedented example of reward sharing is just one of the ways we want to reward our highly skilled workforce."

The Oakham based company, which specialises in saving firms money on business rates, has enjoyed its most successful year yet. And because Ruddle Merz works on a profit sharing basis the success of the firm has helped boost staff pay packets.

The company was formed in 1996 by Tony Ruddle, the former chairman of Ruddles Brewery, and Felix Merz, a former non executive director of Ruddles Brewery. This week the company will move into a million pound complex in the new Oakham Office Park. It is also opening a new London office.

The team at Ruddle Merz deal with more than 1,300 clients from a range of different sectors including leisure, retail, utilities and healthcare. They have achieved dramatic success over recent years, saving more than £62million for their clients since 2005.

The Oakham office employs 25 people who expect to get busier over the next few months as firms hit by the credit crisis come to them looking for ways to reduce their costs.