[ Spotlight: Member profi les ]
SUDLOWS F
ounded in 1912, by Manchester entrepreneur Albert Edward Sudlow, Sudlows has seen and done it all within the electrical contracting industry. Proud of its heritage, its philosophy of always
looking forward and taking full advantage of any new business opportunities has made it truly groundbreaking.
Long-term gains Sudlows joined the ECA in 1920 as one of its earliest members – a fact commemorated by a plaque that features prominently in the reception area of its head offi ce in Miles Platting. By constantly innovating and adapting to the demands of its customers, it has survived two world wars and the longest recession in history.
‘Up until the 1980s, Sudlows was purely focused
on electrical contracting, but the dawning computer age saw us diversify into the installation of structured cabling for IT network infrastructures,’ says Christian Wray, the company’s marketing manager. ‘At the time, this type of work was highly specialised, and we soon found that demand for our services in this area took over our traditional electrical contracting activities.’
The technical advice that is available from the ECA has proven invaluable
Thinking ahead In something of a logical progression, in the 1990s the age of the data centre arrived – one that Sudlows was quick to recognise as a way to combine its experience in both the IT and electrical contracting sectors. Now, it delivers sustainable and energy-effi cient data centres to accommodate the expanding global need for data services and storage. Sudlows has always been confi dent about the
potential of the data centre market, and in 2009 it devised a strategy to secure the next stage of its development. With the company turning over under £6m and with 89 staff , Project Orbit was launched with the aim of taking the company to the next level. Andy Hirst, Sudlows’ global project director, says:
‘We have set turnover targets of £20m by 2013 and £50m by 2015, by which time we expect to be achieving profi ts of £5m and generating 20 per cent of our revenues overseas. We also want to develop the company through a combination of organic growth and acquisition. We bought Salford Quays- based York Technology Group in 2012 and are currently looking at other companies.’
Overseas aid The fi rm opened a London offi ce in 2011 to capitalise
Sudlows’ global project
director Andy Hirst (left) and marketing manager Christian Wray (right)
30 ECA Today June 2013
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