A leading UK provider of IT infrastructure and support believes being based in Yorkshire is helping it to better address technology challenges faced by businesses in the county.
Onyx Group employs more than 120 staff across the country from ten sites and offices, including Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stockton-On-Tees, Newcastle and London.
The company, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, has seen turnover approach £20million in 2013, an increase of 13 per cent on the previous year. However, it has recognised a need to still have a local presence in key regions across the country.
Onyx opened its Rotherham facility in 2012, offering businesses access to a 250-seat workplace recovery centre and a 320 rack state-of-the-art Data Centre.
By locating the facility in Yorkshire, Onyx Group has put its national expertise within reach of businesses looking to outsource its IT needs in the region. Since launching the new facility, Onyx has expanded the number of Yorkshire companies it is working with, including high profile businesses such as DFS.
A recent KPMG survey of UK businesses showed that 56 per cent cited the need to access skills as influential behind their decision to outsource and 45 per cent of businesses expect to increase IT outsourcing in 2014.
Neil Stephenson, CEO of Onyx, said: “Research shows that high up on the list of business worries is not having the technical knowhow to support the business IT requirements now and into the future.
“One of the key trends that address these challenges is that more businesses are looking to outsource all, or parts of their technology infrastructure to data centres and managed services businesses. A drive to access the best skills and the latest robust technology infrastructure is at the heart of this.
“This is why Onyx has opened its state of the art Yorkshire data centre to support increased demand from the businesses in the county and surrounding areas to outsource and colocate Data and IT systems somewhere close by.
“Local businesses are looking for all the usual benefits associated with outsourcing with the additional element of keeping data and IT systems local. One of the key benefits of outsourcing continues to be cost, however, other key factors include access to a broader range of often scarce skills.
“Skills at the forefront of technology expertise and in specialised areas are in short supply and the average business doesn’t always require these skills on a full time basis, but can benefit from accessing them through an external partner.”
