Fast-growing Liverpool IT specialist Halcyon says it is close to breaking through the £1m turnover barrier and is pushing forward with international expansion. Tony McDonough reports
Halcyon directors James Hamilton, left, and Tom Woods. Picture by Tony McDonough
Fast-growing Liverpool IT specialist Halcyon says it is close to breaking through the £1m turnover barrier and is pushing forward with international expansion. Tony McDonough reports.
Liverpool IT specialist Halcyon is looking to accelerate its growth as it closes in on a landmark £1m-a-year turnover.
Founder and managing director James Hamilton leads a seven-strong team which provides a range of outsourced IT services to more than 120 clients. James’s co-director, Tom Woods started as an apprentice at the firm just five years ago.
Located at Mann Island on Liverpool waterfront, Halcyon is also expanding overseas with the opening of an office in Dubai. Revenues are up 13% in the current financial year and James is targeting a 30% growth rate over the next couple of years.
He told LBN: “There is no longer a divide between digital and non-digital businesses. All businesses are now digital and being able to access expert IT support is now more important than ever.
“Data is now such a valuable asset and keeping that data secure while ensuring IT systems run smoothly is critical to every organisation. At Halcyon we have established a reputation for expert and reliable services and our growth has reflected that.”
Halcyon offers multiple services to its clients, which are located across the UK and now in Dubai. These include full IT support, server hosting, remote working, disaster recovery, hardware sales, leasing and installation as well as broadband, email and VOIP.
“We have a good spread of clients,” added James. “They range in turnover from £500,000 to £28m with headcounts from five to 115 staff. Our team works hard to understand a client’s business so we can tailor our support to their needs.
“IT can have a bit of a mystique to it and I think a big part of what we do is providing systems and services to our clients that are easy to use and understand. They trust us and that is important. One client has been with us for 15 years.”
James said Halcyon has a good record on staff retention which means a sense of continuity for its clients. He said the rapid progress of fellow director Tom has been a key factor in the venture’s success story.
“It’s incredible really,” he explained. “Tom only joined us five years ago as an apprentice and now he is as indispensable as anyone can be. He exemplifies the importance of having the right team around you.”
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Like all entrepreneurs James has a story to tell. In his case it is challenges with both his physical and mental health which he has overcome to build a thriving business that is now looking to expand overseas.
He said: “It has not always been easy but I think I have faced my challenges head on and found out a lot about my own inner strength and resilience.
“Over the next few years we are targeting expansion both in the UK – in locations such as Manchester and London – and via our base in Dubai which will give us a real springboard to make Halcyon an international name.”
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