118 trades considers new centres in Lowestoft and Wales
Daniel Corby, CEO 118 trades and the wider 118 group is looking at both Wales and Lowestoft the opening of new call centres to fuel UK growth for the business
[UKPRwire, Fri Jan 19 2007] Daniel Corby, CEO 118 Group Holdings plc is considering opening additional centres in Lowestoft and Wales to fuel growth of 118 trades
Speaking about the announcement, Daniel Corby, Group CEO said “We have very ambitious plans to grow the various brands within the business during 2007 and 2008 and we are considering opening additional centres in Lowestoft and Wales to deliver this growth. Each new centre could employ upto 400 people in telesales and 30 or so in non sales related activities. Customer Services and Back office operations would continue, as present from the Asia pacific region and Essex, where our existing operations are based. Wales is a real attraction for the 118 Group, with massive talent pools and lower operational costs than compared to centres close to London. Lowestoft has been selected as a possible location for the same reasons. 118trades expects to have one of these centres operational by quarter 3 of 2007”
Daniel Corby continued “The centres would handle sales for all the products, including 118 trades, 118 telecom, 118 new media, 118now (our new 118 service), 118 gethitched and Fido Media, our publishing business.
The groups cross selling opportunities for the business are huge and we fully expect the business to achieve double digit growth for 2007 and beyond. From humble beginnings in 2005, 118trades has become part of the multi million 118 Group, with interests in Advertising, Directories, Media, Mobile, Publishing and Telecoms. The recent launch of tastymobiles which will now be connecting to all 6 mobile networks will enable the group to offer more to its customer base than ever before. Fido Media is expected to be a significant contributor to the 118 Group Holdings plc”
Notes to editors
The group is now starting to think and act like a plc ahead of the planned float and has recently made some high profile appointments including business veteran Richard Allan, the former CEO of Perry Group plc as Chairman, Hugh Craen, the founder and mastermind of Potential Finance Group plc which floated on AIM in 2002. Hugh joins the business as a non executive director, Peter Hill as Group FD, who joins from Dorma Door Controls Limited, Scott Barker as Head of Risk, previously from World Pay and Meta Charge. In addition, Ian McLachlan, the recently retired head of Trading Standards of Hertfordshire, who has become Head of Ethics for the business and will oversee the way the business manages relationships with shareholders, staff, customers and suppliers. The business is now in talks with a former Director of Yellow Pages with regards to taking a board position with 118 Group Holdings plc. Further statements will follow in due course
118 Group Holdings plc successfully completed pre IPO fund raising exercises in October 2006 ahead of the planned AIM float and is growing ahead of forecasts. Last month the business announced the creation of 300 new jobs in Chelmsford and is recruiting rapidly. A third call centre for Chelmsford is currently at the planning stage following an offer being accepted by landlords for additional space of 17,500 square feet.
You can read more about the business at www.the118group.com
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