A NEW company set up to service Oxfordshire businesses software is taking off fast, writes David Duffy.

DataLodge was set up in January and managing director, Michael Oughton, said: "We have been encouraged by the response so far and are hoping to move into new premises at the TBAC enterprise units at Grove this month.

"We help businesses overcome the problems of needing extra resources by taking projects off-site and delivering a complete software development solution on time, for a fixed fee.

"The concept and our relative geographical closeness is being welcomed by companies and we are actively recruiting software engineers to match our growth."

Mr Oughton, who has more than 20 years' experience in the computer industry, developed the idea for the business while working as the software engineering director for a software company specialising in e-mail and directory products for military and government markets.

Many of the start-up procedures were handled by family friend Lynn Shepherd, who said: "At the time I was facing a career change and although my background was in sales and marketing, I knew little about starting a business from scratch.

"I was on a Target Forty Plus course at the Heart of England TEC's Learning Link in Oxford and this opportunity gave me a new direction.

"I used the Learning Link factsheets to find out what other courses and help were available. The support from Learning Link and Business Link Heart of England was brilliant."

DataLodge can be contacted on 01235 529560 or by e-mail on info@datalodge.com or through their web site at www.datalodge.com

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