IT spending spree lets Robertson defy slump

ROBERTSON Technologies, the IT support business launched from an Edinburgh student flat just six years ago, has notched up its strongest quarter of growth thanks to a hardware spending spree among its SME client base.

The firm, set up by Hamish Robertson, said the 39 per cent year-on-year rise in revenues had also been boosted by its steadily-expanding franchise model. It currently has six franchisees covering strategic parts of the UK - a figure that is set to rise to ten by the end of the year.

Robertson noted that many small and medium-sized businesses that had deferred investment during the recession were now replacing ageing hardware systems. "The first quarter of this financial year has been quite remarkable, with receipts up to 98,000 from 65,000 in the same period last year," he said.

"The economy as a whole has been on a downward spiral for the past couple of years and scheduled decisions on replacing and renewing hardware have been delayed. But companies are completely reliant on their IT systems and in many cases they now have no choice but to upgrade, otherwise they are likely to simply stop trading."

Robertson - named Edinburgh's Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2008 and shortlisted for last year's Shell Livewire contest - said his business was trading ahead of target and may revise its projections "substantially upwards" if the spending spurt continues.

He revealed that core turnover in the 12 months to March had hit 335,000, with a figure of 400,000 forecast for the current year. Its main client base, managed from the Edinburgh head office, has risen by about a fifth to 150.

Last year, Robertson set out plans to become a major UK player with a target of 40 franchised spin-outs in three years. The firm, which offers IT support and maintenance for companies with up to about 100 staff, is plotting a major push south of the Border.

Robertson set up the business in his final year of university to provide online data backup to firms in the capital.