Circle IT expands as education sector fuels growth

Circle IT, which provides fully integrated IT solutions to businesses, is expanding and creating more than twenty jobs as it continues to target the UK further education sector.

The Cardiff based business, which has seen an average year on year increase of 28 per cent over the last four years, has taken over another floor at its base on Cardiff Gate Business Park to accommodate increased staff numbers.

The expansion is supported by £292,000 funding from the Welsh Government which ensured the new business continues to operate from Cardiff rather than Milton Keynes. It will create 24 new jobs and see the headcount increase to over 80

Providing specialist IT services and support to the education sector – including networking solutions across multiple college sites and facilities – is already reaping rewards for the company and is seen as a major growth area.

Circle IT is currently working with colleges in Manchester, Lincoln and Kidderminster, following a highly successful contract with Milton Keynes College where the company helped the college transform its IT systems and substantially reduce its running costs.  Milton Keynes College was so impressed by Circle IT that it offered the company office space on the campus to expand its operations in the region.

Economy Minister Edwina Hart said:

“Circle IT is a highly successful indigenous business that has grown to become one of the largest independent IT services and support suppliers in Wales.

“It has identified a significant opportunity to grow the business and I am pleased support from the Welsh Government means the expansion will go ahead in Cardiff creating new skilled job opportunities.”

In the last eighteen months the company has focused on opportunities in the education sector across the UK, predominately with colleges but also with some academies and secondary schools with England offering huge growth potential with more than 330 FE colleges.

The company has also recently won networking contracts with Cardiff and Vale College, Neath and Port Talbot College and Lincoln College in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Founded in 2002 by technical experts Roger Harry (Chief Executive Officer ) and Alun Emanuel (Technical Director) as an IT service and solutions provider, Circle IT has expanded and extended its capabilities to offer an extensive range of networking, IT infrastructure, security, strategic consultancy and managed services.  It is a Microsoft Gold Partner and Wales’ only premier partner with Dell.

CEO Roger Harry said:

“The last few years we have seen fantastic growth across the business and we’re delighted that we are able to keep growing the business within Wales. We’re really proud of what we have achieved to date and this funding really supports our continuing expansion.”

In 2013 the company started to explore international trading opportunities and has developed collaborative partnerships with organisations in the USA and won international business, including work in Western Europe and Saudi Arabia.