Growing Lanway in Polish link-up

LANCASHIRE IT solutions company Lanway has agreed its first international alliance, which it hopes will help drive revenues beyond £20m.

The £16m turnover Burnley company has agreed a strategic partnership with Polish company Netwise, which is aimed at improving services to clients.

The two companies, both of them official Microsoft ‘Gold’ partners, say they are combining their expertise to “develop an improved portfolio of services to help clients reduce costs and increase profits”.

Managing director Andrew Henderson explained: “At present, many clients use disparate platforms from multiple suppliers to manage relationships with their customers. We will provide them with a single source solution, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, which drives sales and marketing by delivering amazing customer experiences.”

Lanway is expanding rapidly, with turnover rising from £12m to £16m in the past year and forecast to reach £21m next year. Last year it took over Altham-based Profile IT and staff numbers are growing too, with 10 new jobs to be created this year.

The company has just completed a six-figure IT overhaul of systems at Japanese-owned engineering company Futaba Tenneco and is completing a £500,000 upgrade of IT systems at Premiership newcomers Burnley FC.

Lanway is also launching its own training academy, which aims to fill the skills gap in the business.

Mr Henderson said: “We’ve set up links with Themis at Burnley College, Training 2000, Accrington and Rossendale College and Positive Footprints. Courses begin next month. We’ve also done a skills audit of all of our staff, including me, and have developed personal e-learning systems for everyone.
 
“These are exciting times and it’s important that we help training providers to develop courses and content which prepare young people well for future careers.”