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Matrix Platinum
Lancashire-based Matrix Platinum is an award-winning business telecoms supplier which turned to the NWDA for financial assistance in order to pursue its expansion plans.
A Capital Investment Grant helped the company - part of the Matrix247 Group - construct and fit out new premises in Helmshore, Lancashire, to house both its existing operations and a dedicated new business development unit.
Matrix Platinum was established in 1991 as a supplier of telecommunications to businesses. It provides advice, installation and customer support on land-line and mobile telephone systems and data networks. Having established a solid foundation with its existing clients, the company was looking to focus on the development of new business.
Stephen Pritchard, managing director of Matrix 247, explained, "we had looked for nearly two years for a new, larger home for our company and the new team we wished to develop. There was nowhere that provided the top-quality office and demonstration facilities we were looking for, along with the car parking space we needed."
In 2006, the company was awarded a capital investment grant of £61,000 to support the relocation of its existing premises in Bolton to the new, upgraded site at Helmshore, an ongoing project which is expected to be complete by October 2009.
The funding helped to pay for an internal call centre system, the fit-out of the new premises, and workstations including servers, PCs, hardware and software.
The grant award allowed Matrix Platinum to expand from an existing premises of 3228 sq. m. to a new 5567 sq. m. property, with the potential for a further 50 per cent expansion in the future.
Mr Pritchard said, "we were absolutely delighted with the grant support. Combined with our investment, it enabled us to locate, design and purpose-build our building. The new offices definitely have the 'wow' factor, and the new business development team can't wait to invite in potential clients and show them around. Everyone who visits has something positive to say."
The investment in new facilities is already paying off. Since the relocation, the new business development unit has gone from strength to strength, developing communication solutions specifically tailored for the legal profession and medical practices in the North of England, and collecting accolades on the way.
Shortly after relocating, Matrix Platinum won the CallNorthWest business forum's 'best implementation of technology in a contact centre over 100 seats' award for its work with a large Northwest contact centre which invested more than £300,000 in communications with the company.
Mr Pritchard explained how the process of applying for funding in itself had a beneficial effect on the business. "We found the application process quite rigorous. However, you expect that for any significant grant application. The upside was that it really helped us clarify a lot of things. When you actually put your strategy and plans down on paper, it makes economic, commercial sense in a compact but comprehensive document."
Moreover, he has been delighted with the NWDA's assistance at each stage of the application. "The whole team at the NWDA is a delight to work with; always very attentive, rapid to respond and extremely helpful, handholding us all the way through the application."
It is this support and assistance which leads Mr Pritchard to voice his encouragement for other businesses looking to secure funding for development.
"I would certainly recommend working with the NWDA to others, and urge them to apply, where appropriate, for grant assistance. It has definitely been worthwhile for Matrix, and certainly worth all the hard work and planning upfront," he said.
