News: Rotherham firm goes from bedroom to stately home

Ten years after Andrew Kemp set up a high tech business in his bedroom the South Yorkshire entrepreneur now runs a company with a turnover of more than £1 million and a headquarters in the grounds of a stately home.

Back in 1999 Andrew developed his business idea of a computerised temperature monitoring system for checking the performance of sterilising equipment used in hospitals and other medical establishments.

What made his idea different was the way it automatically reported deviations from the correct temperature and generated management reports, greatly improving the safety of sterilising equipment.

From his office in his parents' home, Sentry Products Ltd found help from Rotherham Youth Enterprise (RYE), who offered him grant-aided rented space at its Treeton Youth Business Support Centre.

Further support, development and growth saw the business move into premises at Maltby.

In 2005 the business was able to make a reverse take-over of another company, Isopharm, operating in the same field and this soon required another change of premises.

As a result, the business now operates from a business complex in the grounds of Sandbeck Park at Firbeck (the home of the Lord Scarborough).

Isopharm Sentry has now reached the £1m annual sales figure and Andrew now looks forward to hitting the £2m mark.

Isopharm Sentry website
RYE website
Rotherham

Images: Rotherham Youth Enterprise