Member Article

Security provider The Shield Group creates 300 new jobs with new Manchester regional offices

London-based security firm The Shield Group, has unveiled new regional headquarters in the heart of Manchester which is expected to create hundreds of jobs in the region.

The facility, located close to Media City, will aim to further enhance the group’s operations as well as serve its sizable client base in the important hubs across the North of England, supporting the company’s branch offices in Glasgow, Leeds and Birmingham.

The flagship building will showcase The Shield Group’s rapidly expanding client base across the north of England and Scotland, having recently added major clients such as the city’s renowned Imperial War Museum North

The new office is also set to bolster employment in the region with more than 300 new staff, who are to play an integral role in advancing the corporate ideals and vision of The Shield Group.

Speaking about the launch of the new regional headquarters in Manchester, John Roddy, chief executive of The Shield Group commented: ’The decision to open a regional headquarters in Manchester was an easy one.

“From the first day we set up office in the city, where Shield has operated for a number of years, we have and continue to experience phenomenal growth.

“The new centre is a smart investment that will bring new employment opportunities to the area as well as provide a welcome boost to the fastest growing economy outside of London.

‘We are delighted with the feedback from our customers in the region and this decision also further extends our reach across the UK. The growing demand for our innovative Total Security Solutions Model is testament to our growth and unparalleled expertise in the security sector.’

Heading the new Manchester office is corporate account manager Bradley Cohen, who brings with him an extensive portfolio of business development experience working for a range of leading UK-based companies.

Speaking about his new role, he said: “I am thrilled to be heading this amazing new project, which marks a pivotal point in The Shield Group’s continued journey of growth, innovation and success.

“I am confident that the decision to strengthen our presence in the North of England will prove to be a successful venture. I look forward to working with our team in Manchester to grow the business and achieve our overall corporate goal.”

The Shield business has expanded rapidly over the last few years, with the opening of several new offices in Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and Belfast.

The number of staff working at the company has increased to over 2,500 and customers to more than 400.

In order to grow the business volume, Shield has also hired seven managing and regional directors and invested £1 million into an NSI Gold certified alarm-monitoring centre in Preston.

All of these changes have helped increase revenues just over the last year from £61 million (2013) to £81 million (projected for 2014).

This latest development follows The Shield Group’s acquisition by India’s leading and largest security conglomerate, Topsgrup in 2012, where the two market leaders set out to strategically collaborate and scale up the company’s services.

With a growth in EBIDTA of 67% from the last financial year, the combined turnover for Topsgrup and Shield this financial year is expected to be around £170 million.

Dr Richie Nanda, executive chairman of The Shield Group, added: “We are delighted with this announcement and the opportunity it provides our customers, who now feel that we are closer at hand to continue to provide a world-class security service.

“The Group has seen significant growth in the service we provide in the region and will use the regional headquarters to meet these growing demands. Manchester is the ideal location to strategically enable The Shield Group to take advantage of the growing opportunities in the city and expand our services to the neighbouring regions.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .