A company specialising in telemarketing is to create more than fifty jobs in Bridgend at a new contact centre and intends to take on local call centre staff including those who lost their jobs earlier this year.
Jigsaw Insurance Marketing (Bridgend) is to create 56 jobs in the first phase and will be recruiting staff made redundant when Pure Insurance went into administration in July this year.
The news has been welcomed by Ieuan Wyn Jones, Minister for the Economy and Transport, who said the Welsh Assembly Government was supporting the project through the Single Investment Fund.
“This investment is really good news for Bridgend and I am particularly pleased to hear that the company is working with the administrator with the aim of recruiting its new workforce from the pool of trained staff who lost their jobs.
“It offers new employment opportunities for a significant number of people which is particularly welcome in the current economic climate and I am glad the Assembly Government has been able to support this investment.”
Jigsaw Insurance Marketing (Bridgend) is part of the Jigsaw Group which has centres in Nottingham and Leicester. The company specialises in outbound sales campaigns and telemarketing for the financial services, telecoms and utility markets.
Clients include TalkTalk, the consumer telephone business of the Carphone Warehouse Group, Sterling Insurance Group, Towergate, Energy Helpline, Affinion and Motorway Direct.
Jigsaw had been looking to expand its operations and Financial Director Ian Mihill said the availability of a trained and enthusiastic workforce in Bridgend made Wales a particularly attractive proposition.
“As a company we are delighted to be able to help take people out of unemployment and are confident we will be able to recruit a first class professional team that can deliver a great customer service.
“We are also grateful for the high level of help and support we have received from the Assembly Government and are now looking forward to establishing a successful operation in Wales.”
Managing Director Roberto Milanesi said funding support from Natwest was another vital ingredient enabling the project to go ahead and was also a strong vote of confidence in the business.
“The products, systems and training methods developed by Jigsaw over the past ten years will provide a strong basis for a successful business in Bridgend with the potential for future expansion and we appreciate the support we have received which has been extremely helpful.”
Letters concerning Jigsaw’s recruitment plan are being sent out to redundant call centre workers by PWC, the administrators, and interviews will be held in mid September with the intention of opening the new centre in October. Jigsaw Insurance Marketing (Bridgend) will be based at Wyndham Business Centre in Bridgend town centre.
