Published: Monday, 14th December, 2009 5:25pm

We've got recesssion taped

by Alan Bunce

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FIRMS of all sizes are turning to a small company to save money on their technical equipment.

SQS, a four-person team repairing tape machines that store data, has had a year of constant growth as customers ranging from sole traders to schools and even major banks turn to it for cost savings.

Managing director Chris Whitehead says 2009 has been the best year for five years.

He founded the firm with George Angus in 1998 in the shed at the home of George's parents. Now, based in offices in George Street, Reading, SQS has been able to take on two sales staff as demand grows.

Chris said: "It has been an excellent year for turnover and profit.

"People come to us both because we offer to repair tape and sell refurbished products and because people are focused on saving money over the cost of big manufacturers."

He said free consultancy means customers get only the right equipment, not what a manufacturer wants to sell.

And that, he said, can save them a fortune.

An emerging market is home data storage where people use devices called NAS boxes, which store files such as music and DVD collections along with computer games data and other documents.

He added: "We make sure our customers are happy. We make sure we support them properly and they will come back and their friends will come to us."

Next year could be even better. SQS is entering one of its most lucrative periods.

Chris said: "There are a lot of people saying, 'right, budgets are coming up in April', so January, February, March, April, that's when they want to speak to us.

"We will be getting our name out and providing quotations now."