Software firm rises from the ashes and has plans to expand
Aug 21 2008 by Chris Knox, The Journal
A SOFTWARE company devastated by fire has risen from the ashes and now believes it can quadruple its turnover.
Alnwick-based Tagish saw its offices in the Bolam’s Mill building destroyed two years ago in a blaze which took more than 30 firefighters to put out.
The dramatic scenes saw the flames devastate the upper floor of the former brewery building, forcing a number of small businesses to look for alternative premises.
The site has since been demolished and is awaiting the development of luxury accommodation.
However, Tagish, which specialises in complaints-handling software for local authorities, has not let the blaze ruin its growth plans and has since set up in new offices in the Hawkhill Business Park, also in Alnwick.
The firm believes its speedy recovery has put it in a strong position and is now targeting private sector contracts to help increase its turnover from £1.3m to almost £5m in the next four years.
Managing director Andrew Fisk had just bought out the company with his wife Sharon six weeks before the fire and was worried that his plans for expansion had been permanently put on hold.
He said: “I was just starting to put some of my ideas for developing the company into practice when we had the fire. It was devastating at the time.
“However, we were able to find new offices and began to rebuild the company fairly quickly.”
The firm, which was set up in 1995, has just signed a major deal with a European travel company.
Mr Fisk now believes Tagish will be able to double its 22-strong workforce over the next three years as it seeks more private sector work, including the creation of company websites.
He is also looking to strengthen its public sector portfolio and in talks with Newcastle City Council and Northumbria Police and hopes to provide them with software that keeps track of anti-social behaviour in the region.
He said: “We have recovered from what could have been a disastrous end to the business and are now looking to build on what we had in the past by strengthening our existing markets and entering new ones.
“Around 80% of businesses affected by a major incident either never reopen or close within 18 months, but we were determined that this wasn’t going to happen to us.”
