A STIRLING-BASED IT services company which has helped more than 400 of its clients’ employees work securely from home since the start of the pandemic is being taken over by its employees.
The 10-strong workforce at 2e-volve have entered an employee ownership trust to secure the firm’s long-term future.
Entrepreneur Craig Lemmon launched the firm 20 years ago and has seen it bucking industry trends for high staff turnover. Four of his team have been with the firm for more than 14 years and the others for between seven and 10 years.
Lemmon, 60, who lives in Stirling, said: “One of the first things I did when I started 2e-volve was to seek out brilliant people who are frankly better than me at the technical side of things.
“From there I’ve made sure that we look after our people and they are empowered to look after the business.
“We might not all be related but we are very much a family firm. These individuals have been very loyal to me over the years and I wanted to repay that loyalty by making them owners.”
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The father of three first explored employee ownership three years ago amid a spate of approaches from similar sized firms trying to tap into their geographical advantage in the heart of Scotland.
Lemmon added: “It didn’t feel right exploring a buyout because it would have thrown our people and clients into uncertainty.
“This option means they have the reins and with my input for the years ahead, they can take the business where they want to.”
Stuart Winter, who has been with 2e-volve for 13 years and will become a director, said: “I don’t believe we will see a lot of change as employees.
“We’ve always worked in a very open way and I see employee ownership more as an evolutionary step for 2e-volve rather than a major shift in how we operate.
“However, we are now in control of our own destiny and that’s an exciting prospect.”
James Travers, who joined 2e-volve 10 years ago after running his own business, added: “It’s up to us to make sure that 2e-volve continues to be successful, always being one step ahead with technology and delivering the very best service to our customers.”
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