Major New US Military Contract
Sunderland IT specialist to install networks at all US European bases
Fast growing Sunderland-based IT company Advantex Network Solutions Ltd has won a major contract to supply and install dozens of new high security wireless networks at all US military bases in Europe.
The six figure contract is one of the largest Advantex has won and will create several new engineering jobs based at the company’s Wessington North Industrial Estate site.
The Cisco Systems-based networks Advantex will be installing will improve the storage handling systems and data capture facilities at the US bases.
The company will be sending out six two-man engineering teams over the next four months to carry out the contract installation work at 50 US army, navy and air force facilities in Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Holland, Turkey and Iceland.
The contract covers 35 sites in Germany including the large Ramstein Air Base and Germersheim Army Depot – at the latter site, the installation is so large that it will take at least one month to complete.
Advantex won the pan-European contract in the face of stiff competition from major contractors and follows the successful installation of other secure networks by the company at six US military bases in the UK.
These include RAF Lakenheath, RAF Fairford, RAF Mildenhall, RAF Alconbury, RAF Croughton in Oxfordshire and RAF Menwith Hill, near Harrogate.
Advantex designs, installs and commissions computer and telephone local area networks (LANs) and was started in 2002 by brothers Stephen and David O’Connell.
It now employs 20 people and has seen growth quadruple over the last year. This year the company is predicted to turnover £1,000,000.
This latest news follows other recent contracts for Advantex to supply network-cabling systems and network cameras to leading furniture retailer SCS and Cleveland Potash, which operates Europe’s deepest mine at Boulby.
Advantex director David O’Connell said: “The contract is a massive boost for us and reinforces our position as one of the leading suppliers of advanced network solutions, with a highly skilled and motivated team of installation engineers."
“We are still a young company, but clearly have the ability and expertise to deliver any size of project on time, within budget and to the highest specification.”
Other clients include Caterpillar Articulated Trucks, Alpha Graphics, Simpson’s Malt and wood-based panels manufacturer Egger (UK) Ltd.
