Job announcements for May week 2

Tracking the press for stories of rapid expansion is a great tactic for job-seekers. A company going through a high growth period is the right type of organisation to approach, and getting in early gives you the chance to talk before a generic job description gets posted to the masses. This week we noticed a concentration of small specialist businesses and a hand-full of major brands:

Ocado Group
Online grocer Ocado is opening a customer fulfilment centre in Staffordshire, in early 2013, following a £215m investment. The expansion is expected to create 2,000 jobs. Ocado recorded revenues of £600m in 2011 and a significantly reduced pre-tax loss of £2.4m. It is expected to achieve profitability in 2012.

British Telecommunications
British Telecom is opening a new state-of-the-art contact centre in Belfast, Northern Ireland, creating 120 jobs. The company will employ a total of 2,600 people in Northern Ireland. £568,000 of support was provided by Invest Northern Ireland.

Pinsent Masons
London based law firm Pinsent Masons has merged with McGrigors, based in Northern Ireland and Scotland. Pinsent Masons will commence operations in Belfast, Northern Ireland in May 2012 as a result of the merger. The new company is set to employ approximately 100 people in Northern Ireland and 2,500 people around the world.

Elekta
Elekta, a global medical technology company dedicated to oncology and neuroscience clinical advancements, has created 80 new positions at its Crawley plant to support the manufacturing of its new cancer treatment.

Gordons
Law firm Gordons, based in West Yorkshire, has recorded turnover for the year ending April 2012 of 25.3m, an increase more than eight per cent. The company has also unveiled a new brand identity which was produced in partnership with Leeds based brand design agency Elmwood and aims to communicate the clarity, consistency and volume of the firms services. There are plans for considerable expansion.

Provexis
Provexis, the functional food and sports nutrition technologies company, has opened a new manufacturing facility in Nelson, Lancashire, as part of its expansion strategy. The Innovation Centre employs 50 staff and growth in headcount as the company aggressively grows its revenues is to be expected.

Positive Outcomes
Recruitment specialist Positive Outcomes is looking to fill 50 jobs after three years of significant growth and business success. Turnover has increased tenfold for the Nottinghamshire based company, and staff numbers increased from 45 to 250 since 2009.

Crowdbait
A new search engine optimisation firm, Crowdbait, has launched in York, Yorkshire. Crowdbait is the idea of Lyndon Nicholson, founder of Article 10 Group, who sold his stake in the company to fund the new venture. Forty new jobs will be created between 2012 and 2014 as a direct result.

Adinsight
Call tracking and analytics solutions business AdInsight, based in Salford near Manchester, has secured 1.6m of venture capital funding from Eden Ventures. The funding will enable the company, which provides visitor level tracking and analytic solutions, to develop its growth plans. Thirty five new jobs will be created during 2012 as a direct result.

Blitz Games
Expanding games developer Blitz is creating 20 roles at all levels at its base in Leamington Spa, West Midlands. Jobs will be available for senior, tools and graphics programmers. Blitz is working on several new titles and is working in partnership with global publishers. 2010 turnover £10.3m, 218 employees.

Chromogenex Technologies
Chromogenex Technologies expects turnover to increase from £6.9m to £12.5m in 2012 following strong US sales of its non-surgical slimming device. It has received £290,000 from the Welsh Government Single Investment Fund and has created 19 jobs and purchased equipment to reduce manufacturing costs.

Excalibur Communications
Wiltshire-based Excalibur Communications is recruiting 11 sales and service staff over the 12 months to May 2013. It is also looking at two possible acquisition targets as part of its strategy to double the size of the business over three years. The company recently launched a graduate recruitment scheme. 2011 turnover 5.8m.

Clear-Flow
Cornish environmental company Clear-flow is to take on 10 new staff after securing a contract with South West Water. The company has recently moved into a new head office.


Abintegro
May 12