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Expanding firm looking to create 80 more jobs ; IT SERVICES [Newcastle Journal (England)](Newcastle Journal (England) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) ARAPIDLY expanding Teesside IT firm is embarking on a recruitment drive that will see headcount grow almost fivefold from 21 to 100. Stockton-based Agile Group is seeking new people to fill a range of roles after adopting a new business model - expansion that has triggered a planned move into new premises to meet the extra capacity. Founded in 2008 by owner and managing director Simon Scotchbrook, the firm last year secured a six-figure investment from Northstar Ventures' Finance for Business North East Accelerator Fund, an Enterprise Finance Guarantee loan from Lloyds TSB and a grant from the Journal-based Let's Grow fund to drive its ambitious growth plans. Mr Scotchbrook, who started his management career in the telecoms and cable industry, launched the business when it evolved out of the Qnet Group Ltd and it now works with numerous large partners, including BT Openreach, O2, Cisco and Microsoft. The company's core business is the provision of ICT services to North East SMEs but it has expanded its offering through moves like providing broadband and telecoms to mobile platforms, such as ships. As demand grows for the firms services they have put plans in place to move into new headquarters in Middlesbrough, with staff set to take up their new desks next year. Turnover currently sits at Pounds 1.5m with predicted turnover for the following year expected to top Pounds 1.7m, and Mr Scotchbrook said he is keen to enlist sales people and creative graphic designers to help the firm grow further. He said: "At the end of last year we made the decision to adopt a new business model which puts our customers in the centre of our business. "We also wanted to develop the business so that all of our employees have an opportunity to put forward their ideas on how, we as business can continue to grow. "I should also mention the investment support we have received from Northstar that has helped us signifi-cantly. "And the introduction of Gary Lumby and David Thompson to the board of directors has given us a lot of new and exciting ideas for the future "New unemployment figures, provided by the Office of National Statistics show that the rates of unemployment are dropping. "This could be down to the job opportunities being given by small, successful companies, like Agile who are willing to train and invest in the careers of others. "Being a local company, we've have seen the increase in unemployment over the past few years in the Teesside area and are proud to put a small Agile-sized dent in it." As well as investing in people the firm has recently relaunched its website, which was designed in-house, to reach customers on PCs, tablets and mobile devices. (c) 2014 ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved. |