£500,000 networking project completed

Jan 7 2010 by Andrew Mernin, The Journal

COMMUNICATIONS firm Executel has completed a three-year project worth £500,000 with a fellow North East company.

The Gateshead business has spent the last three years working with South Tyneside’s Immunodiagnostic Systems to install and develop a sophisticated communications network which includes IP telephony.

Executel’s solution has helped to seamlessly connect IDS’s sites in Boldon, Belgium, Denmark and the US, all of which now benefit from secure instant messaging, presence and availability, audio conferencing, video conferencing, free of charge inter-site calls and full data collaboration modules.

Established in 1977, IDS has 141 staff spread across the US and mainland Europe, as well as 92 at its Boldon headquarters. Meanwhile, the company has seen revenues for the first half of this year jump 56% to £16.9m.

Judy Knight, head of operations for IDS, said: “We have a long-standing relationship with Executel spanning three years and throughout that time, they have shown a genuine interest in what is important to us and the ever-changing communication needs of our workforce.

Richard Pavlou, account manager for Executel, said: “Having worked very closely with the senior management team at IDS for the past three years, I am delighted that they are now enjoying the full benefits of what has always been the long term strategy for their communications infrastructure.

“The team had a clear vision of what they were looking to achieve but needed a company with the technical expertise, experience and proven quality of service to deliver it.

“It was quickly established that in Executel they had found this and I look forward to assisting IDS in their seemingly endless period of success and growth. With the foundation we have laid, we certainly have the right platform to accommodate all aspects of the company’s development.

Executel employs 46 people at its Metrocentre premises – with annual turnover of around £9m.