Westgrove Group sets out bold growth plan
A PRIVATELY-owned office cleaning and security specialist has set out an ambitious growth plan to boost sales from nearly £17m to £30m, which it says will help it create 700 jobs over the next two years.
Warrington-based The Westgrove Group was launched 15 years ago by directors Steve Fives and Simon Whittle. They began with one contract, four colleagues and a 100 sq ft office.
Today the business employs around 1,000 people and has hired a business development team for the first time and also recruited a number of senior managers to help it deliver its growth targets, which inlcude diversifying into new industry sectors.
Steve Fives said: “The immediate platform to take us to the next level is £20m plus.
“We are planning to expand our workforce by around 300 positions this year as we secure an additional 50 plus contracts. We anticipate growth in the region of 50% over the next two years with an employee head count of around 1,700.
“This will be through sustained natural growth by expanding our business model into key vertical markets and also identifying potential acquisition targets. It’s time to take the next step and catapult Westgrove into a new stratosphere of dual service cleaning and security providers.”
He said Westgrove is determined to give larger listed businesses a run for their money.
“We’re looking to be a viable alternative to the ‘big boys’; the plc’s that dominate our industry. We’ve never needed a sales team before as the business was built on recommendations. But it’s time to take the next step. We’re independent, wholly owned by our founding directors and primed for growth. In the next few years we’re determined to become a £30m business and maybe more.”
The company has launched its own recruitment and training initiative called Colleagues of Tomorrow.
Through referral, the company initially grew from its North West and Midlands roots to become a provider of professional cleaning within the shopping centre sector. In 2008 it moved into security and developed a dual service model.
As the business has grown, Westgrove has moved premises four times and now occupies a 10,000 sq ft headquarters o n the outskirts of Warrington town centre.
Mr Fives added: “In the last 12 months we’ve rolled out into complementary sectors such as corporate offices, retail, leisure, hotels, manufacturing and distribution. It’s the foundation of our expansion blueprint.”
