Home technology business sees spike in demand for technology
A technology business which has worked with sports stars is planning a major expansion.
Paul Simkiss founded Simkiss Control Systems in 1999 but set up a second business, Simkiss Home Automation, after spotting a gap in the market.
The Rochdale firm uses technology to control technology in the home through a display panel.
The technology allows people to check everything remotely via a mobile phone app, including lighting, blinds, TV, music and several other features.
The smart home technology is attracting interest from Premier League footballers and assisted living providers.
Paul said: “We’re also working with a property developer in London who is building 630 flats and we’re creating a control panel for each home.”
The home automation side of the business currently accounts for £1m of the group’s total £7m turnover but Simkiss predicts it will reach £8m by 2021 as the company’s overall turnover doubles to £14m.
He said: “The problem with home automation at the time was it was quite fragmented.
“You had different controls for things like your lighting and audio visual equipment. There was nothing that linked everything into one system.
“It was about doing the installation at a reasonable cost. If we can help people assemble components and give them a box that they put in a room in the house it would be a massive step forward.”
Paul started by making the control panels in his garage but in the firm’s second year a customer went bust owing him £38,000 so he took the decision to work directly with the main contractor.
They have developed relationships in the gas industry and now work with blue chip clients like Siemens, ABB and Northern Gas Network.
In 2009 Simkiss took a step back and delegated some of the decision-making to his senior managers, which helped the business grow. At about the same time they moved to their current office in Stakehill Industrial Estate.
He launched a second business – Simkiss Home Automation –which he predicts will reach £4m-£5m turnover by 2020 and £8m in 2021, swelling the company’s overall turnover to £14m.
