Probrand, the Birmingham-based technology services firm, has signed off another strong period with turnover up 25 per cent year-on-year at #18.5 million.
And with profits up 16 per cent, it marks the company’s fourth consecutive year of double figure growth against a flat IT sector.
In a landmark year for Proband it has been revolutionising the provision of ICT goods and services to local authorities and schools with its on-line IT procurement portal, theitindex.co.uk/gov. The company won the biggest government contract of its type in 2006, supplying ICT through the Catalist framework.
Private and public sector organisations alike are switching on to the time and money savings brought about by a more efficient best practice method of purchasing best value IT.
Theitindex.co.uk daily updates a list of 100,000 branded product lines from 1200 suppliers by best price and availability. It also offers management functionality that enables greater spend visibility and tighter control over rogue purchasing as well as budget and purchase planning capabilities.
Now making up over 85 per cent of Probrand’s sales, the solution has grown at an average annual rate of 150 per cent year-on-year since its launch in 2002.
Standout customer wins in 2006 included M&S and numerous public sector accounts such as Police forces, NHS Trust Hospitals and schools amongst others.
Managing director Peter Robbins said: "We are constantly developing new approaches to business that stem from the core of our success – powerful technology that gets people to the UK’s best priced products in the shortest possible time.
"As industry commentators forecast uplift in the currently flat IT market, we have shown outstanding success is possible in a challenging climate. This gives us a buoyant outlook for 2007.
"Whilst work for private sector corporations continues to see value add, our enthusiasm to deliver best value and best practice approaches in the public sector is opening up new revenue opportunities through Catalist. For example, we have launched theitindex.co.uk/Gov to cater specifically for the price comparison needs of public sector purchasers.
"We are also developing a portfolio of strategic partnerships with the UK’s best SMEs, so we can deliver services like hi-end infrastructure technologies and network storage. This is extending the scope and scale of our business.
"Theitindex.co.uk is also accredited by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales and this is returning further kudos and value as financial practitioners continue to see the spend controls inherent in the solution. We will be undertaking more initiatives in the accountancy marketplace in 2007.
"Putting technology at the heart of our strategy continues to drive the business forward and this is the core of our focus for the year ahead."
