CCS aiming for £4m of sales in four years

Mar 11 2010 by Chris Knox, The Journal

A TELECOMS and IT provider expects to grow its sales from £500,000 to around £4m by 2014 after moving into larger premises and strengthening its client base.

Sunderland firm CCS more than trebled its office space last year after investing £1m moving to a 1,000sq m site near the A19 and has since seen a surge in business as a result of greater access to the South.

The company now expects to double its sales to £1m by the end of the year and add another £1m each year for the following three years after securing a number of high-profile clients, including sports brand Puma, in the UK.

The firm, which was launched in 1987, supplies a range of mobile communication technologies, including phones, broadband and email.

It now plans to increase its 13-strong workforce, with the firm now providing mobile solutions to around 500 businesses nationwide.

Other clients include sports giant Nike, the company’s biggest customer, manufacturer Manitowoc, and a long list of smaller companies including County Durham-based health and safety trainer Seaham Safety Services.

The firm, which also installs a full range of integrated hands-free car kits, sat nav, tracking, vehicle security and entertainment systems, said that its willingness to invest had helped to maintain its 90% retention record, with some of its clients remaining loyal customers since its inception.

Managing director Chris Lee said: “We have managed to grow through the recession as our customers have realised that they need to maintain their investment in mobile communications in order to compete in the market.

“While many of our competitors were pulling their horns in, we made a conscious decision to maintain our investment, which has allowed us to pick up additional business.”

The company, which claims to have supplied the first mobile phone in the North East, works alongside a number of technology partners including Orange, O2, Vodaphone, T Mobile and 3, and recently added the new generation of Apple iPhones.

Mr Lee said: “Our closeness to the A19 means we can visit customers in the South more easily, which will help us increase retention levels even further.

“With this in mind, we expect to be able to create a number of jobs over the coming months in line with our growth in sales.”