UKFast

UKFast.Net Ltd
Private
Industry Internet hosting
Founded 1999
Founder
Headquarters UKFast Campus, Birley Fields, Manchester, M15 5QJ
Key people
 CEO
Lawrence Jones
Commercial Director
Gail Jones
Technical Director
Neil Lathwood
Managing Director
Jonathan Bowers
Website http://www.ukfast.co.uk

UKFast.Net Ltd is a business-to-business hosting company based in Manchester, UK. It is principally known for managed hosting, cloud services, and colocation. The business also owns a data centre complex in Trafford Park, Manchester.[1]

Company history

UKFast was founded in September 1999 by Welsh businessman Lawrence Jones and his partner Gail Jones.[2]

In 2007, the company moved its head office to the 28th floor of City Tower, Manchester. It acquired further space on the 16th floor, before moving in 2013 to a campus in the Birley Fields area of Hulme, Manchester.[3][4]

In 2013 the firm launched eCloud, a range of cloud hosting services whose hardware infrastructure reportedly cost £12 million to build.[5] In that year, the business turned over £23.4m.[6] For the year ending 31 December 2014, UKFast reported a 24 per cent turnover increase from £23.4m to £28.9m. Between 2011 and 2015, UKFast invested more than £25m into capital expenditure projects including the development of four data centres and the flagship UKFast Campus.[7]

The founder Lawrence Jones rejected a reported £200m takeover bid in 2014, amidst a trend of web hosting consolidation, citing that the business was still growing.[8]

In 2013 UKFast opened an office in Glasgow[9] and in 2015 opened a further office in London.[10]

Awards and accreditations

Between 2005 and 2009, UKFast won six Internet Service Providers Association awards and was named "Best Hosting Provider" for four years running.[11][12][13][14][15]

UKFast received the Data Centre Solutions Awards’ "Private Cloud Product of the Year" in 2012 and the DatacenterDynamics Award for "Innovation in Outsourcing" in 2013.[16][17]

In the same year, UKFast received the National Business Awards "Employer of the Year" award and the Institute of Customer Service "Employee Engagement Strategy of the Year" awards.[18][19]

UKFast has also featured in the Sunday Times "100 Best Small Companies to Work For" and the Great Place to Work Institute’s "Best Workplaces" lists, placing 28th and 12th respectively in 2014, 25th and 5th respectively in 2013, and 45th and 7th respectively in 2012.[20][21][22][23][24][25]

References

  1. ↑ Finnegan, Matthew (2012). "UKFast launches new data centre complex in Manchester". techworld.com. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  2. ↑ "How Lawrence Jones Built UKFast Into A Multi Million Pound Empire". Your Hidden Potential. 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  3. ↑ "Insider News North West – UKFast expands in City Tower and more lettings". insidermedia.com. 2014. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  4. ↑ Barry, Chris (2013). "SME / UKFast snaps up 1 Archway for latest data centre THEBUSINESSDESK.COM". thebusinessdesk.com. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
  5. ↑ Graham, James (2014). "News / UKFast launches 'UK's biggest cloud' THEBUSINESSDESK.COM". thebusinessdesk.com. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  6. ↑ "UKFast beats £20m turnover target". insidermedia.com. 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  7. ↑ "CLOUD POPULARITY FUELS GROWTH AT UKFAST". insidermedia.com. 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  8. ↑ "UKFast chief turns down £200m takeover bid". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-03-20.
  9. ↑ "UKFAST LAUNCHES IN SCOTLAND". insidermedia.com. 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
  10. ↑ "London calling for UKFast | CRN". http://www.channelweb.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-03-16. External link in |website= (help)
  11. ↑ "2005". The Internet Service Providers' Association. 2005. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  12. ↑ "2006". The Internet Service Providers' Association. 2006. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  13. ↑ "2007". The Internet Service Providers' Association. 2007. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  14. ↑ "2008". The Internet Service Providers' Association. 2008. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  15. ↑ "2009". The Internet Service Providers' Association. 2009. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  16. ↑ "2012 Winners and Runners-Up". DCS Awards. 2012. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  17. ↑ "2013 DatacenterDynamics EMEA Awards Winners". DatacenterDynamics.com. 2014. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  18. ↑ "Winners of the National Business Awards 2013". National Business Awards UK. 2013. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  19. ↑ "UK Customer Satisfaction Awards - winners announced". Institute of Customer Service. 2013. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  20. ↑ O'Connell, Dominic (2014). "The Sunday Times 100 Best Small Companies to Work For". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  21. ↑ "2014 UK's Best Workplaces - Medium Category". Great Place to Work Institute. 2014. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  22. ↑ "The UK's Best 100 Companies, 2013: Best 100 Small Companies". Best Companies (via Sunday Times). 2013. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  23. ↑ "2013 UK's Best Workplaces - Medium Category". Great Place to Work Institute. 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  24. ↑ "The UK's Best 100 Companies, 2012: Best 100 Small Companies". Best Companies (via Sunday Times). 2012. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  25. ↑ "2012 UK's Best Workplaces - Medium Category". Great Place to Work Institute. 2012. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
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