Nottingham's Ergo set to double in size after contract coup

A COMPANY which manufactures thousands of computers a year at its Ruddington factory is to double in size after winning its way on to a massive Government IT contract.

Ergo Computing, which is owned by founders Neil Bellamy and Paul Madden, will supply hardware, software and support services to public-sector bodies all over the country.

Under the Commoditised IT Hardware and Software Framework Agreement councils and Government departments must buy IT services from approved suppliers.

The contracts will be worth an estimated £6bn over the next three-and-a-half years, and Ergo is the only firm in the East Midlands on the preferred supplier list.

It marks a major coup for the firm, which employs 65 people at its Ruddington Fields Business Park HQ.

Mr Bellamy said he expected the business to double its turnover every year for the next three years, while staff numbers could rise to as many as 240 people.

He told the Post: "We have had a couple of lucky breaks in the past which have helped us grow, but this is the biggest. It's one of the most welcome things to have happened to us."

Mr Bellamy, an electrical engineer, started the firm with Mr Madden in 1990 with just £1,000 and a printer operating from a house.

It began as an IT consultancy but then started building computers for public-sector clients like the Ministry of Defence.

It now has 2,500 customers and manufactures between 25,000 and 30,000 computers a year, with some components bought in from overseas but others provided by a chain of around 15 local suppliers.

Besides conventional laptop and desktop computers, its product ranges includes computers built into desks to prevent their unauthorised removal.

They will be among the products on offer under the terms of the new Government deal, and Ergo is already started a recruitment drive to add up to 40 staff over the next year.

Mr Bellamy said: "I think this deal is going to double the size of the business each year, I'm confident of that.

"We have grown rapidly in the past, though over the past couple of years we have kept things stable.

"This is going to double us each year in terms of turnover and staff. We are looking for manufacturing staff, sales staff, engineers; basically keen people who want to get into the IT industry.

"I would say within the next 12 months we will be taking on 35 to 40 people. Within three years we could well be up to as many as 240."

The Government deals were split into three separate lots which businesses were able to bid for a place on: desktop hardware, IT infrastructure hardware, and specialist partners for software.

Mr Bellamy said: "We were allocated a place on Lots 1 and 2, which is a great win not only for the employees of Ergo Computing but for the wider local industry, as it demonstrates that smaller businesses can compete – and win.

"We are a 'total solutions' provider, with the capability of design, manufacturing and service delivery.

"Ergo's inclusion for infrastructure means we can further expand our services in the UK public sector."

Ergo's key team also includes contracts manager Jonathan McLaren, infrastructure services manager Clive Bonner and commercial development manager Tim Harrison.