DIGITAL services provider Incremental Group has committed to creating 110 high-value jobs in Glasgow within the next two years after receiving a £1.2 million regional selective assistance grant from Scottish Enterprise.
Earlier this year the firm, which has offices on both sides of the Border, said it planned to increase the headcount across all its bases from 70 to 500 by 2022.
Corporate development director Jennifer Adams said the grant from Scottish Enterprise - the Scottish Government’s economic development agency – “has influenced our decision to create a significant proportion of those jobs in Glasgow”.
“Scottish Enterprise has been most supportive and proactive – I can’t speak highly enough of the support they have given us,” Ms Adams said.
“That’s enabled us to create the jobs here. It’s not assistance that’s available elsewhere in the UK.”
As per the terms of the grant, the new jobs will all be high-value positions, with the firm soon to be recruiting for a range of developer, engineering and consultancy roles.
The money, which will be delivered in tranches, will not be used to fund the positions themselves, but to help create the infrastructure required around them.
The expansion means the firm, which in April moved from its headquarters at Glasgow City Council-operated The Tontine to the recently refurbished Garment Factory, will again be looking to take on additional space in the new year.
“We took what felt like a massive space in the Garment Factory,” Ms Adams said. “That is all kitted out for 82 staff but we’re at 60 already.”
Incremental was set up as an acquisition vehicle by chief executive Neil Logan in 2016, the same year it bought 34-person Inverurie firm First eBusiness Solutions, which provides digital services to clients in the oil and gas sector.
It expanded south of the Border with the launch of a sales base in Manchester at the beginning of this year before buying Northwich-based Gap Consulting in June. Further expansion is expected in England, including in the Midlands.
Mr Logan said the firm is “experiencing an exciting phase of growth”, adding that the grant from Scottish Enterprise will allow the business to “keep pace with our trajectory”.
While Mr Logan has spoken previously about a skills shortage in the technology sector, Ms Adams said that Incremental did not expect to encounter any problems filling the 110 roles within the two-year timeframe.
“Glasgow has a fabulous talent pool but it also has great employers,” she said.
“We’re investing in our facilities to help attract people: we offer flexible working and have family-friendly policies and that is what we hope will attract people away from more conventional employers.”
The firm’s culture was endorsed by Scottish Enterprise director of economic development Rhona Allison, who said the business has “a strong focus on building a culture and structure which supports its rapid growth ambitions”.
“We look forward to supporting the Incremental team as they enter the next chapter in their growth journey,” she added.
The Scottish Government’s cabinet secretary for finance, economy and fair work, Derek Mackay, added: “Companies like Incremental are vital to the success of the Scottish economy.
“The fact that the company has come such a long way is testament both to the ambition and leadership of the company and to the network of support provided by our enterprise agencies.”
Along with a headcount target of 500 by 2022, the firm has said its revenues are expected to hit £60 million within the same timeframe.
In the last financial year the business turned over £6.7m and made a pre-tax profit of £690,000.
It expects turnover to increase to £13m in the current financial year, which ends in March.
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