News: Connect-IP celebrates five years from start up to success

Rotherham-based Connect-IP, which has trebled turnover since its launch, increased staffing numbers from five to 60 and beat the recession by winning big contracts with blue chip companies, is celebrating its fifth birthday by moving into new markets.

Based at Vector 31 at Wales Bar, the enterprise was founded by Mark Richardson and Bob Allen in 2005 after they saw a gap in the market for a high quality sub-contract cabling company.

Since then they have carried out major projects over a wide range of sectors across the UK and Europe.

Earlier this year saw the launch of a mobile and portable visual security alarm system called RAPIDSENTRY, a battery powered system that requires no electricity, enabling it to be installed anywhere and moved around as the situation demands.

In another move, the company has teamed up with leading global developer Milestone Systems in the development of image processing surveillance software.

However, the rise of the company has not been without a lot of very hard work right from the start.

Mark Richardson, director of Connect-IP said: "We faced a number of challenges coming into this as a new start-up company, everything from finding an accountant, sorting out business premises, banking arrangements and taking on new employees.

"We now carry upwards of 60 staff ranging from permanently based employees and sub-contract engineers to project management and sales staff."

The company's work has covered a vast range of business including the public and private sector, finance, banking, industrial, local education, local authorities, and the police.

Mark said: "We have carried out some major, high profile projects, one of which was a national project for one of the world's biggest insurance brokers which took us through the first 18 months of the business.

"Last year we worked on a very large project for Great Ormond Street hospital, where we firmly established ourselves as their incumbent supplier for IT cabling. We have also carried out projects in Europe, including a major financial institution at their new headquarters in Frankfurt.

"We are now looking to the future, working with cutting-edge technologies and ground-breaking new products, such as RapidSentry."

The economic climate has made it difficult for start-ups, but Mark has positive advice for new businesses.

He said: "The support is out there for new businesses if you can get access to it. My advice would be to use services such as Business Link, and have a look for what could help you. There are plenty of people to lean on.

"You really need to find yourself a good accountant and someone you can have a good relationship with, which has been invaluable to us. Then it's all down to hard work."

Connect-IP website

Images: Connect-IP