Yorkshire firm at cutting edge of digital revolution marks 40 years in business

A Yorkshire based company with roots at the beginning of the digital revolution is marking 40 years in business.

After four decades of growth, Concorde Technology Group now provides services including cybersecurity and cloud computing to customers across the UK, and lists Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Foundation Trust, Jaguar Land Rover and DFS among them.

Its origins in 1985 were somewhat different, with hardware forming the vast majority of its work as businesses at the time required help to introduce computerised systems. Over the years, Concorde has helped long-standing customers evolve these systems to meet their technology needs.

The company has partnered for many years with leading technology companies including Microsoft, Dell, WatchGuard, NetApp, HP Inc / HPE and Veeam.

While technology has evolved over time, Concorde’s ethos remains the same, according to Concorde’s CEO Neil Roberts.

“The purpose of the company at the outset was to help businesses navigate new technology, and that hasn’t changed over the last four decades,” he said.

“Now, we’re a full-service IT provider, offering managed IT services, cloud computing and complex cybersecurity services, taking the headache of IT away from our customers to enable them to focus on what they do best.”

Despite the huge changes in its industry over the years, Concorde is still headquartered in West Yorkshire – though upsized from its original home in Brighouse via Morley to Wakefield Road in Ossett, where its headquarters remain today.

It now boasts a configuration and IT lifecycle centre alongside an in-house repair hub, carrying out all types of warranty repairs for leading IT manufacturer Lenovo. It also operates forward stock and service centres throughout the UK, along with a sales and service operations centre in the North West located at Blackburn.

Its workforce has grown significantly in that time too, as has its customer roster. Initially working with relatively small firms a short distance from its offices, it now works around the UK, with companies ranging from SME’s to large, multi-national operations in a huge range of sectors including finance, healthcare, manufacturing and education.

For Chris Stead, a professional services consultant who has been with Concorde since joining as a telecoms engineer in 2009, the company’s ability to stay ahead of changing technology has been key to its longevity.

“Over the years, I’ve witnessed firsthand the incredible evolution of technology, particularly in communication. We’ve moved from bulky, brick-sized phones to fully integrated IP telephony systems on our laptops and computers. It’s rare now to see a traditional desk phone – everything is streamlined and digital.

“Concorde’s growth has led to the opportunity to work across various customer locations – from Paris and Frankfurt to the Netherlands and Northern Ireland,” he said.

Cybersecurity has proven one of the most vital areas of focus for Concorde in recent years. Protecting customers from online threats is an increasingly complex challenge and one to which Concorde devotes significant resources.

Since 1999, the company has partnered with WatchGuard Technologies, a global leader in unified cybersecurity. WatchGuard’s Unified Security Platform® approach is uniquely designed for managed service providers to deliver world-class security that increases business scale and velocity while improving operational efficiency. It has enabled Concorde to offer solutions tailored to each customer’s risk profile.

The company has also partnered for many years with leading technology companies including Microsoft, Dell, NetApp, HP Inc / HPE, and Veeam.

Alongside cybersecurity, Concorde’s team expects AI to dominate customers’ IT needs over the coming years. The technology is already being used to carry out admin tasks, helping businesses to be more efficient – but it’s vital that they have the right systems in place to make the most of its potential.

As for the future, the team at Concorde is working with forward-thinking customers to align their IT and business strategies. From network systems to cybersecurity provision, integrating IT into planning can boost efficiency and maximise growth.

Entering Concorde’s fifth decade, CEO Neil Roberts has no plans to steer away from the strategy that has served the firm so well over the last 40 years.

“It’s certainly a case of evolution, rather than revolution, and that evolution is likely to continue at a rapid pace,” he said.

“Leading a business that is so well-established and trusted by so many is a true privilege, and one I value every day.

“I feel the responsibility of ensuring its success continues, but at the same time I put my trust in our team, who have proven their worth so many times over the years. Concorde has become the business it is today thanks to the efforts of so many of our colleagues to deliver the best service to our clients, time and time again.”