A fledgling Mid-Wales company at the cutting edge of IT research and development is teaching UK business to fully exploit the latest wireless technology.
Launched in August 2009, Olive Tree IT Ltd broke even by December and has orders for well into 2010 which include specialist systems for large sports venues and organisations with multiple sites plus one Britain’s leading international aerospace events.
The company, headed by MD Annette Burgess and Sales and Marketing director, Richard Brown, aims to help businesses fully utilise wireless communication, rather than simply using it for internet access and e-mail.
This involves designing IT solutions for customers, providing the appropriate infrastructure and building bespoke IT systems to meet the individual needs of customers. They also help clients offset capital investment by using the technology to develop alternative revenue streams, for example by promoting commercial use of their systems by other firms and organisations.
Based at Glansevern Hall in Berriew, between Newtown and Welshpool, the company was set up with support from the Welsh Assembly Government’s Single Investment Fund, part of the Flexible Support for Business programme.
Wales’ Minister for the Economy and Transport, Ieuan Wyn Jones, said he was pleased support from the Assembly Government had enabled the company to get off to a flying start.
“Olive Tree IT operates in a very competitive market and although a start up business, has managed to win important new business and create high quality jobs which are of particular importance in these challenging economic conditions.
“The company’s investment in research and development has brought direct benefits to the business and to its clients and is now playing a valued role helping other businesses in Wales and the UK to develop and make maximum use of the latest communications technologies.”
Annette Burgess said,
“We enable business applications to truly utilise wireless networking instead of just using wireless for internet access. Our capability to do this has been greatly boosted by Welsh Assembly Government support, which allows us to carry out all development work in-house without incurring extra costs.
“This has already brought significant benefits to customers because we can demonstrate a performance level on a par with much larger firms and our credibility is higher in an extremely competitive market. We can compete with much bigger UK companies and organisations.”
The company, which provides seven permanent jobs and draws on the services of up to 25 specialist contractors, has also been able to bring forward its recruitment programme by six months.
The Welsh Assembly Government’s Flexible Support for Business team enabled the company to achieve rapid start-up.
